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speciAL coLLecrioNS
t)OUQLAS LibKARy
queeN's uNiveusiT^^
AT kiNQSi:ON
kiNQSTON ONTARIO CANADA
ENGLISH LIBERTY
In fome Cafes worfe than
French Slavery :
Exemplified by
ANIMADVERSIONS
UPON THE
Tyrannical and Anti-conftitutional Power of the Jufiices of the Peace , Commiffionen of Excife, Cujioms, and Land-Tax, C^c.
CONTAINING
A particular Relation of the barbarous and oppreflive Me- thods made Ufe df in Raifing the
Land.Tax of this Kingdom,
Compared with
An HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
OF THE
More mild, and equitable Meafures purfued in raifing the Taxes, call'd the
7'aiIIe and Taillorj, the moft oppreflive in France.
In a LETTER addrefs'd to
Tbeferious Confideration of the LeJJer Freeholders and Ele^ors oj Great-Britain.
Salus Popiili fuprema Lex ejio.
Slutd ahud quam admontmus cives nos eorum fjfe, etf: non ccfdcm cpet randtm tamcn patriam incolerc ?
LONDON:
Printed for M. Cooper, in Pater-Nojier-Row. 1748. [Price I J.]
//
Ar'^if./9'-/r.frH
ADVERTISEMENT
TO THE
READER.
r HE following LETTER was hit ended to hd^oe been publijJSd a little after the DiJ]o~ lution of the laft Parliament ; but various Impediments and Avocations hinder d the Au- thor from executing his Purpofe. But as the Sub- je5l of it is a Matter of great Importance to the We fare of Britons; and as they have an indubi- table Right to admonijhj direB^ and inflrucl their Reprefentatives^ at any T'ime^ with Regard to any Scheme which may tend to promote their Freedojn and Happinefs't tho' the Eledion be pajly yet the Pertinence and life of the Sentiments and Obferva- tionSy which are contai?i'd in the following Sheets^ remain Jiill the fame : From whence it is con- ceived, there is no farther Occafon to apologize for the Form and Manner of Addrcfs in the Letter ^ or its Publication^ Jo long after the Flexion has been over.
i«
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i? U XV---,
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Tc he Lesser
Freeholders tk^ Ele£lors, ^c.
O F
GREy47-BRITAIN.
Sirs,
AT a Time 'hen the public Prints are judi- cioully tiU'v vith Admonitions and Inft ruc- tions, to gurd againft the Adherents, and Abettors of Tyru v, and the Pretender j and to chufe luch Rep:er;tatives in Parliament, as may lupprefs the Pride fcourge the Perfidy, and curb the reftlefs Ambitia and Tyranny of France^ our natural and comma Enemy ^ivithout ; I conceive it is not mal a propos 5 remind you of the Oligarchia, or Arijhcratical 7 ranny (if I may be fo allow 'd to fpeak) you younlves labour under ivithin.
You, my C: nrymen, are juftly excited to make Choice of 1 a for Members of the enfuing Parliament, as \\\ aazard their Lives, and are rea- dy to exhauft their ortunes, in Defence of his Ma- jefty's Pe^fon and tovernment, and in Support of our Liberties, and he fundamental Laws of our Conftitution. Bu at the fame Time, I cannot help obferving, th: there is little or no Mention
B made
TZv Author's Dijlance fro7n the Prefs has occafioned the following Errata, which the Reader may corre6f,
PAGE 3 . read mutato nomine, de te
Fabula narratur. ■ -
4. Line 1 4, /cr necdlefs, rif«</ natural. 8. 10, /iT-We'd, r. We.
15. 28, r. it was call'd X\^y^.iJ4JM..
41. 7, after ^c. r. who are chofen annually by a Plu-
rality of the Voices of the People to tax them, and are called AflefTors. 43. In the Note, /or Elus, r. elus.
65. 2 1 . /or do, r. offer.
68. In the Note, for crk^ r. cree:t..
74. 24. r, to take their Ejlates from them-.
To the Lesse R
Freeholders and Electors, ^c.
6 F
GREAT-BRITAIN,
Sirs,
AT a Time when the public Prints are judi- cioufly fill'd with Admonitions and Inftruc- tlons, to guard againft the Adherents, and Abettors of Tyranny, and the Pretender j and to chule llich Rcprefentatives In Parliament, as may lupprefs the Pride, fcourge the Perfidy, and curb the rcftlefs Ambition and Tyranny of France^ our natural and common Enemy ivithout ; I conceive It is not mal a propos to remind you of the Oligarchia, or Arijlocratical Tyranny (if I may be fo allow'd to fpeak) you yourfelves labour under ivithin.
You, my Countrymen, are iuftly excited to make Choice of fuch for Members ct' the enfuing Parliament, as will hazard their Lives, and are rea- dy to exhauft their Fortunes, in Defence of his Ma- jerty's Pe^-fon and Government, and In Support of our Liberties, and the fundamental Laws of our Conftitutlon. But, at the fame Time, I cannot help obferving, that there is little or no Mention
B made
(2 )
made of the Infringement of thofe Laws, and few Exhortations offer'd to excite you to eledt fuch, as ihall enquire into the Grievances and Burdens you lie under ; fuch as Avail exert themfelves with all their Vigour, in relieving you from the daily Oppreffions many of you feel : Oppreffions which, perhaps, are jiot to be equall'd of the Kind under the moil grie- vous Tyrannies, or match'd under the mofl defpotic Governments in Europe-, and which the very Meaneji of the People in the Kingdom of Frafice are ex- empted from, even at a Time, when moll opprefs'd.
A French Government has been juftly repre- fented to you, in many Parts, as odious and tyran- nical ; and I doul:)t not but your Indignation rifes againft its Friends and Abettors, on the bare menti- oning of it : But, at the fame Time that you juitly fcorn and difdain, commiferate and bemoan, the Sla- very and Oppreffion your unfortunate Neighbours fuffer. What would you fay, if it were reply'd to fome of you ? " Countrymen and Friends, do not ** let Prejudice and Vanity deceive you ; you are *' under a greater Tyranny in fome Refpeds your- " felves: You the very Electors and Free hol- " PERS of Great-Britaiuy even you are in a more " deplorable Condition than the very Rabble of this " Kingdom, or the Boors and Peafants of the King- ** dom of France itfelf *
I FLATTER myfclf, that you are flill Britons^ and that if you all knew the dangerous Malady, which is creeping through your Veins, and working like a flow Poifon on the Vitals of your Liberties and Properties : I fiy, if you all knew, I doubt not but out of Companion to your innocent Pofterity, out of Tendernefs to your Little Ones, you would
roufe
( 3 ) roufe up yourfelves, and ihake off, with Indignation, the galling Yoke of OpprelTion, which lies on you, tliat your Anceftors nobly difdain'd to bear. Whilft, therefore, you hear the Relation of fome of the Miferies and OppFclfions (* artfully exaggerated) of your Neighbours, deplore their Fate, and are tnat- tentive to your own, it may be juftly (Iiid to you, Weep not for others, but for yourfelves
mutato nomini\
— - — — ^ de te Vabula narratur.
I WOULD, therefore, my Countiymen, mod ear- neilly recommend it to you, to infifl on it, as a Condition of your Choice, a Sine qua non^ that every one of your Candidates Ihall take a mofl fo- lemn Oath, before you engage to give your Vote for him, that he will exert himfelf to the utmoft ot liis Abilities in endeavouring to abolilh a tyrannical and arbitrary Power you are now fubjedt to, and which I am going to relate, and revive in yonr Minds ; a Power, the Exigence of which is a Re- proacli to the Name of Liberty, and a Briton.
* That this is the Cafe, I tliink, the following Narrative will fufficicntly evince. A late Author lays, " I was lately dilcourfing with a Gentleman of great Fortune and Abilities, who, after having lived feven Years at BounLiiux in Frrtr.ce, went beyond Sea, and re- turnM to Bourdaiux again at the End of 21 Years. This Gentleman, on whofe Veracity I can depend, aifured me, that never, in all his Life, had he been more ailoniOi'd than at his Return to Bourdcaux ; he could fcarce prevail on himfelf to believe it was the fame Place; the Number of Ships in the River was beyond all E.vpcililation ; the 'fown was vallly populous and rich ; every Thing had tlic Appear- ance of great Plenty and Magnificence ; his Friends and Acquaint- ance, when he left Bourdat/x, lived in a poor, mean Way ; now, he found them in llatcly Houfcs nobly furnilh'd, poflefling a grc.it deal of Plate and jewels, Numbers of Servants, and all other ap- parent EfFei^b of Riches." Vide .^ Litter to the Lords CsmrniJiGners
(//' Tnidr, ivc, printed for Jacob Robinfon.
B 2 You
U)
You all know, my Countrymen, that in GVr^//- Britain Commiffionei:3 are nominated by Parlia- ment to put in Execution the Land-Tax Ad : That they are the Demiere Kefjh't^ and there is no Ap- peal from their Determination, which the faid A61 has made final. But as this is a great and extenfive Power, and they a(5l as hord Chancellors in Cafes which come before them, it may not be amifs to enquire into the Morals, Behaviour, and Condud of the Clafs of Gentlemen qualified by Law to be trufted with this important Authority, that the World may fee to what hopeful Stuff the Care of our Liberties and Properties is committed.
It would be needlefs to a Foreigner to afk here, whether Gentlemen, before they are invefted with fuch a fupream Power, do not firft pafs fuch an Examination, as the Greek Archons did formerly, before they were admitted into the Court of Arco- fagites. Dr. Potter fays of thefe, that " All, " that had undergone the Office of an Archon, were " not taken into this Senate, but only fuch of them *' as had behaved themfclves well in the Difcharge of " their Truft; and not they neither, 'till they had " given an Account of their Adminiftration before " the Logifta^ and obtain'd their Approbation, after " an Enquiry into their Behaviour ; which was not " a mere Formality, and Thing of Courfe, but ex- " tremely fevcre, rigorous, and particular. To have " been fitting in a Tavern^ or Publick-Houfc^ was *' a fuffieient Rcafon to deny an Archon'^ Admiflion *' into it; and tho' their Dignity was, ufually, con- " tinued to them as long as they lived; yet, if any " of the vScnators was convided of any Immorality, " he was, wiihout Mercy or Favour, prefentlv ex-
" pell'd
^ 5 )• ^' pcll'd. Nor wjis it enough, that their Lives were *' ilridly innocent and unblameable, but fomething " more was required of them ; their Countenances, *' Words, Adions, and all their Behaviour, muft *' be compoicd, I'erious, and grave to a Degree be- *' yond what vvasexpcded from other (the moft vir- " tuous) Men. To laugh in their AlTembly was an " unpardonable Ad: of Levity ; and for any of them *' to write Comedy was forbidden by a particular " Precept of the Law. Nay, fo great an Awe and *' Reverence did this folemn Afl'embly iLike into " thofc that lilt in it, that IJhcratcs tells us, that in *^ liis Days, when they were fomewhat degenerated '* from their primitive Virtue, however otherwife *' Men were irregular and exorbitant, yet, once cho- *' (i^n into this Senate, they prefcntly ceafed from " their vicious Inclinations, and chofe rather to con- " form to the Lav/s and Manners of diat Court, " than to continue a loofe Courfc of Life."
Now let us confidcr a litdc, what are the Morals, and Behaviour of thofc Men in general, who are qualified by Law, and ad: as Commiihoners of tlie Land-Tax ; how near they come up to tlie Virtue and Purity of the anticnt Greeks^ mere Ethnicks ; and what may be cxpeded from them, as they are educated in the fublime Morals of Clirillians, and invefted with a more unlimited Power than the ve- nerable Court T have jult fpoken of.
I SHALL Ihew, in another Place, diat an Ellate of about 300/ /)try/w/. is requifitc, on an Ave- rage, to qualify a Man to ad as a Commidioner of the Land-Tax ; which is tiie fime as is ncceilary to
qualify a Member to fit in the H of C s.
It we may judge, then, of the Morals of a Com-
midioner
( 6 )
miiiioner of" the Land-Tax, bv the Morals of Can-
didates for M b — rs of P 1, one of
the Sovereign C ts of this N — t — on, I am fare
v;e Hiall nnd, on Comparifon, that the kffer Free- holders of this Kingdom mull ftand but an indiffe- rent Chance to receive Juftice from their Decifions, as they will be found to fall far fhort of Greciaji Purity in their Behaviour and Condudt.
Suppose we allow that a CommilTioner of the Land-Tax has as good a Title to Probity, Integrity, Candour, and Honour, as a Candidate for the H — ^^e
ot C ns ; pray is not an Euglifi Freeholder,
then, in a miferable Situation, whofe Rights are to be fettled by fuch a corrupt Body of Men, when it is their Intereft to opprefs him ?
Honour, Confcience, and the Regards arifing from Virtue and Religion, feem to be quite loft among thofe very Men, who ought, in a principal Manner, to difcover a ftri£l Regard for them, and be the Bulwarks and Supports of them, as well as lliining Examples to others. But, inftead of fuch Behaviour and Condud:, we hnd Impiety, Prophane- nefs. Corruption, Treachery, \^enality, and a Con- tempt of all Things facred, have overiiow'd our Country like a Deluge. Self-Intereft has got the Afcendant of all generous Principles, and focial Af- fections. Many are, in Catiline's Cafe, ali€7ii appe^ tens J fui profujus ; and others quite corrupted with Avarice, Pride, Ambition, and Luxury : All Re- gard for the Intereft of the Public feems to be loft, public Spirit appears to be the Scorn and Jeft of our Great and Rich Men ; that Man is laugh'd at, who recommends the Cultivation of it j and Hob- bijin univerfally obtains.
A^
(7 )
As to the G — ;//ry of tliis K — gdom, wlio fland
as Candidates t'orM s of P 1, what
do you think their Principles iiiuft be, who firil make Laws again (1: Bribery and Corruption ; fence them round with the moft Iblemn Oaths, and lacred Ties of Religion ; and, when they have thus done, tempt, by Bribes, the very Perfons, whom they have oblitred to take thofe Oaths, to break through them, and perjure themfelves ? What a lliocking Mockery of God, Religion, Virtue, and Juftice, is This? What a Difdain and Contempt of every Thino; facrcd and venerable ? Ami what a Deluee of Impiety, Prophanenefs, Corruption, and Atheifm, muft fuch Condud: introduce into all the Corpora- tions in hjighind, and from thence ipread itfelf all over the Nation ?
The Romnn Senator, ji?itius Reftio^ when he had made a Law to fupprefs Luxury, finding his In- ftitution to be of little Force, bv reafon of the sreat Head Prodigality and Extravagance had gcdn'd in the City, never afterwards fupp'd abroad, as loni^ as he lived, for fear lie Ihould be forced to be a Wit- nefs of the Contempt of his own Injunction, with- out being in a Condition to punidi it. Or, as Ma^ crobius has it : Illiul tainc7i mcmorabUe dc Reftione latore ipfius kghfcrtiir ; mm quoad 'vixitforis pof- tea 710U cxnafjt\ ne tejiis fiicrit contemptiv legis, quam ipjc bono publico pcrtiiUfjct. L. II.
But, with Grief, Siiame, and Indignation, be it fpoken, * our L — g — ll — t— rs firll iDake Laws, and then ufc all manner of Artifices and Tempta-
* There is nothing I'o indecorous, nor of Inch ill Example, in a Common. Wealth, as the In/Vaction ofa ntwl.aw, by tnc Lcgiilator himl'df, yiy'/ Maciiiavcl. Difrwf.-t, l^oo'< I. Ch:\p' 4
tions
( 8 )
tions to induce the Breach of them ; tho' attended with the mod fhocking Circumflances of Perjury. Good God ! how flow is thine Anger ? Why has it not wax'd hot e're now, and confumed fuch a People ?
Nil mortalibiis arduiim eft ;
Ccelum ipfum petimus Jiultitia : ueque
Per nojtrum patimur Jcehis
Iracunda ]oy(in\ poiiere fuhnina. HoR.
No Tafk too arduous for prefumptuous Man ; We'd llorm the Skies, and, bold, arraign the Fates : Nor will our Guilt permit the Sire of Gods To lay the Bolt and wrathful Thunder by.
As our Impiety and Wickednefs is rifen to fuch an enormous Pitch, how can we long exped: to efcape the Fate of Sodom^ Catana^ or Lima^ in Pe- ru I' And yet thefe Giants in Iniquity, thefe aban- dor.'d M — fcr — nts, are the Guardians of your Lib — ties and Prop — tics, my Countrymen ; are invefted with abfolute Power, the Dernierc ReJJort of the Law, and your Judges in all Affairs ot the Land-Tax. Juries of yourfelves are excluded, not- withflanding Bifliop Burnet fays, 'tis not the Nobi- lity and Gentry are the moil worthy, virtuous, and honeft Part of the Kingdom j but the Farmers, Traders, and middling People. 'Tis from fuch alone, Juftice and Impartiality are to be expeded ; of fuch are our "JurieSy and by fuch ought all our difputable Affairs concerning all Parts of the Reve- nue to be determined ; and not by fuch Wretches as I have above defcribed.
Thus I have given you a pretty exa(5t Pidlure of a Man qualified to be a Commiflioner of the Land-.
Tax,
(9) Tax, and fhall next enter upon a Defcription of his OfHcc, Power, and Condud in it.
However, not with (landing they are fuch a Set of Pr — flig — tcs, thefe Commiffioners have an ab- folute Authority to chufe fuch AfTtflbrs and Collec- tors, as they pleafe, without being accountable to any Power for their Condu6l. I have known this Prerogative carried fo far, as that Men of Probity and Elfates have been rejeded by the Commiffion- ers, and Men of no Worth or Chara6ler, and who have paid no Taxes of any Kind, have been eleded to thofe Offices ; efpecially when thele Gendemen have had any dirty Work to be done, or any fcan- dalous Drudgery to be gone through, which Men of Reputation and Integrity would fcorn to be en- gaged in. Now thefe AfTeiTors, tho' they have an extenfive Power, when approved of by the Com- milTioners, are not under fo much as the Tye of an Oadi to reihain them from Partiality, or the Terror of a Law, that can punifli them for Injuftice or Oppicilion, when they ad: in Concurrence with the Didates of the Commiffioners, tho' their Condud (liould be ever fo villainous or fcandalous. Should any one make any Objedion to this, I would allc of him, who is to judge of the Legality of the Pro- ceedings of thefe AlTelTors ? Why, the Anfwer is very obvious, the Commiffioners^ the very Perfons who eleded them to the fordid Office of rating themfelves low, and laying the Burthen of the Tax upon their feeble Neighbours.
Besides, to add to the Evil thefe arbitrary and dictatorial Gentlemen^ the Comrnijfioyiers^ who fit, fwell'd up with Office, big with Power, infulting you, their poor Neighbours ; I lay, thefe Gentle-
C men
( 10 )
men are not fo much as * fworn to do you Juflice, with regard to your Properties j nor under the Ap- prehenlions of any Punilhment, from any fuperior Power, for the moft villainous Condud: But, on the contrary, they are left at full Liberty to tax each other as they pleafe, and illuftrate the old Adage, Miitiio 77iuli fcalpunt. Thus they connive at each other's Male-Condud, firmly knit together, by mu- tual Intereft, in the Bands of Injuitice, Iniquity, and Oppreffion.
This, my Countrymen, both leiTer Clergy and Laity, is your unhappy Condition : You are under the curfed State which, a great Patriot thinks, would be the Ruin of the Nation, that is, when Delin- quents are to be try'd by themfelves, and be their own Judges ; or, as he more elegantly expreffes it, <f ^ What will become of our fo much boafted Li- berty • what fliall be done, when the Criminal be- comes the Judge, and the Malefadors are left to try themfelves ? We may be fure, then, common Danger will unite them, and they will all fland by each other, and Villany will walk our Streets tri- umphant."
Thro' fuch iniquitous and collufive Meafures, as I have mentioned above, I have known two or three Commiflioners in a Parifli, who have not paid
* At Athens, the Judges of the Court call'd Uct^aCv^iv-, which took Cognizance of only trivial Matters, whofe \"arue was not above the Attic Drachm, or Se'vc7i-pcnce Halfpenny Sterling, as fome fay, were all obliged to take a moft folemn Oath, by the Pa- ternal Apollo, Ceres, and Jupiter the King, that they would give Sen- tence uprightly, and according to Law, if the Law had determined the Point debated ; or, where the Law was filent, according to the bcft of their Judgments. So much Care was taken of Jultice by them, and fo little is taken by us.
+ Hiflory of Standing Armies, See the Preface.
above
( " )
above 2 s. in the Pound for their large Eltates, when at the fame Time, in the fame Parifh, their Neigh- bours have paid, Some 3 j. 6 ^. fome 3 J. i o ^/. and fome have been tax'd 4 j. 6 </. and have fworn off. I have known a Parilh, where a worthy Clergy- man, of but a moderate Income, hath paid near 4 j. in the Pound Rack-Rcnt for his Glebe, ^c. when, at the fame Time, the confcientious and honeil 'Squire of the Parilh, being a CommifTioner, ma- naged fo excellently, that he paid but about 2 s. to the Pound. I have known an Appeal, where a Commiflioner has been appeal'd againft, when, by the iniquitous Meafures above fpecified, his Eftate has not been affefs'd at much above 2 s. in the Pound, and, at the fame Time, the Appellant's, by hishilli- gation and Dire6tion, was rated at 3 .f. 10 d. per Pounds according to the Rack-Rcnt ^ and by this righteous Tribunal, thefe confcientious Inquifitors, the Appellant was difmifs'd without any Redrefs, and their Brother CommifTioner not rais'd a Farthing ; doubtlefs, influenced by this righteous Confideration, Hodic tibi^ eras ?nihi ; 'Tis your Turn To-day, and ours To-morrow.
E\jT, notwithltanding the Commiffioners are in- verted with fuch defpotic and arbitrary Powers and Authority, inconfiftent with the true Nature of Li- berty 3 Men of large Fortunes, great Influence, and thofe endow'd with the Executive Power of the Law, with a Train of Court-Sycophants ; or, in a Word, all thofe who enjoy the Benefit of the Ty- ranny, which they have conftituted, or participate of its lucrative Effeds : I fay, all thofe have the Ef- frontery to cajole, and tell us of the Excellence of our Conflitution and Government ; and to exagge-
C 2 rate
( 12 )
rate the Freedom we enjoy. Nay, Minillerial Ad- vocates cry out, that our Laws indulge us in Licenti- oufnefs, when we are fo bold, as to complain of Grievances j of the Inroads, that are made upon the Privileges eflential to our Conftitution ; and of the Infringement of thofe Laws, the Enjoy- ment of which is abfolutely necefiary to denominate us a free People.
The true Nature of Freedom confifts in our be- ing governed by equal and ftanding Laws of our own making -, Laws to which we ourfelves have confent- ed ; Laws by which no Prerogatives or Privileges are given to one Set of Men to domineer and lord it over the Reft ; and Laws, by which even the Executors of the Laws {hall be made accountable to the People for their Condud:. But let me afk you, my Coun- trymen, Is this your Cafe ? Or can it be imagin'd, that any People in their Senfes would forge fuch Chains for themfelves, as are in the Land-Tax Ad: j or confent to the enading fuch arbitrary and tyran- nical Laws as I have above mentioned ? No, furely : But thofe Laws are not the People's Laws ; the People groan under them : They are the Laws of an Oligarchia, or a Tyranny of the Richer over the Poorer.
The People eled Rep — f — t — s to proted their Liberties and Privileges ; and to guard them againft Invafions, and Incroachments upon their Rights and Properties ; but thefeD — puties have often bafely be- tray'd theirConflituents, and trapan'd them into that very Slavery, they were eleded to defend them from. They have enaded Laws without ever confulting them, by which they have refer ved to themfelves par- ticular Privileges amd Exemptions unknown to their
Prede^
( '3 ) Piedeceffors, and inconfiftent with the Good of the Community ; and have deprived their Conrtituents of many of the innocent Rights of Nature : They have appropriated to themftlves a Power of domi- neering over, opprelTing and enflaving tliofc very Perfons from whom they derived their Legiflative Capacity ; and then they have artfully beftow'd Pa- negyrics upon their own tyrannical Decrees, and ex- toird our Conftitution, or rather their own Conrti- tutions, as the beft Form of Government in the World.
Tiio', by fuch interefted Perfons, a great many fine Encomiums are lavifh'd on our Government, and the Freedom we enjoy, as oppofed to the Ty- ranny of th^ Great and Opulent on one Side, and to the Licentioufnefs of the Multitude, or Rabble, on the other ; yet, I conceive, we are, in many Cafes, as much expofcd to the Firfi as many of our Neighbours, and not a whit better fecurcd from the haji. The Truth of one appeiirs from the many Riots we have had of late Years, and Excelles com- mitted in them, which have met with light Punifli- ment -, and, to evince the Truth of the otbet\ was the Intent of this Letter ; and which, in the Courfe of it, I humbly conceive, will be clearly demon- ilrated.
If we attentively confider the Nature of our Government, nothing appears more manifellly, than that it may eafily degenerate into an Oligarchial or a Tyranny of the Richer over the Poorer. For In- Aance : Suppofc the King, Lords, and Deputies of the Commons, fhould enad a Law, obliging all the Freeholders in this Kingdom to pay to the Public jo psrCcnt, of the annual Value of ihcir Eflatcs,according
to
( u )
to the Rack-Rent ; that all Goods, Chatties, Monies, Mg'j cables and hnnwc cables^ Ihould pay the fame ; and that th:s A6t fl:iould continue in Force for Seven Years, but with this particular Exemption of them- felves, and all who pollcfs above 300/. per Ann, that thefe fliould pay only i o pei' Cent, upon all Pof- feliions fpeciiied : Pray, would not fuch a Law be as much a Law as any now in Being ? And would not the LefTer Freeholders, Stockholders, and Popu- lace be as much obliged to conform to it, as they are, now, to the Injundions of the Land-Tax Ad", or Excife Laws ? Nothing is more manifefl, than that they would be under fuch a Necejjity by Law, ^ Now I prefume, that there is no one would be fo audacious as to alTert, that This would not be a Tyranny of a very bad Nature, nor of the worfl: Kind J that Is, a Tyranny eflablifli'd by Law : And yet, is not this, in fome Meafure, our very Cafe at this Time ; fince we have a Law in Being, that, in the Execution of it, gives Opportunity to put the fame Thing, virtually, in Practice ? A Set of rich and powerful Men arc, at this very Time, invefted with a greater Power, and exercife and enjoy a LI - centioufnefs not to be parallel'd under the mofl de- fpotic Tyrannies : For it is a Licentioufnefs of the worft Kind, to have one Set of Men left to difpofe of the Liberties and Properties of their Fellow-Ci- tizens, without any Reflridlon, any Control, any Incitement to Juflice, any Dread of Puniiliment ; and with every Inducement to Fraud, Rapine, and OppreF jn. And tho' this be the Cafe, yet fome interefted Mercenaries boail of the Excellence of our Conflitution and Government, and vain-gloii- oufly prefer it to the f imous Republics of Greece
and
( 15 ) and Rome, Perhaps, at prefent, it may be found to indulge them with more Power, and therefore they are very liberal in their Commendations of it. But if our Government, with refpedt to the LeiTer Free- holders, and the Bulk of the People of Property, was fo excellent primarily, I am fure it has deviated from its Origin ^ wants a Retrofpedion of its Liivvs, and to be reduced to its firft Principles, and antient Standard. To make this manifelf , indulge:; me in a. Digrellion, and let me take a fliort View of fome Cuftoms in the above-mentioned Republics, and fee liow much better their Laws, their Courts of Judi- cature, Decifions of Mcum and Timm, were con- ducfted, and managed for the Prefer vation of Liber- ty, and fecuring of Property, than the Laws, ^c, under our Government.
The Manner of making a Law among the Athe- nians was thus : When any Man had conti'ived any Thing, which he thouglit was for the Good of the Common- Wealth, he hrll communicated it to the Prytanes, who received all Sorts of Informations of Things which concern'd the Public ; the Prxtanes then call'd a Meeting of the Senate, in which the new Projed being propofed, after mature Delibera- tion it was rejeded, if it appear'd hurtful or unfer- viceable ; if not, it was agreed to, and then call'd rifcC'tsAei/jurt. This the Prytanes wrote on a Tablet, and thence it was call'd ^^en&i^y^^-
No Law was propofed to the Aficmbly, except it had been written upon a white Tablet, and fix'd up, fome Days before the Allembly, at the Statues of the Heroes call'd EtJuy/c/, that fo all the Citi- 2ens might read what was to be propofed at their next Meeting, and be able to crivc a more delibe-
rate
( i6 )
rate Judgment upon it. When the Multitude was come together, the Decree was read, and every Man had Liberty to fpeak his Mind about the Whole, or any Claufe of it j and if, after dueCon- fukcition, the AlTembly thought it inconvenient, it was rejeded ; if they approved of it, it pafs'd into a -^nipK^i^a. or N6/y.^, a temporary or perpetual Law,
No Man, without a great deal of Caution, and a thorough Underrtanding of the former Laws and Conflitutions, durft prefume to propofe a new one ; the Danger being great, if it fuited not with the Culloms and Lnclinations of the People. Eudcmns^ a Cydiathenian^ is faid to have loil his Life on that Account, being made a Sacrifice to the Rage of the Multitude. Islot much unlike this Severity was the Ordinance of Zaleucus^ the hocrian Law-giver > by which it was appointed, that whofoever propofed the enad;ing a new Law, or the Abrogation of an old one, Ihould come into the AiTembly with a Halter about his Neck, and in that Condition give his Reafons for what he propofed ; and if thefe were thought good, and lufficient, his Proposal was em^ braced ; if not, he flraitv/ay pour'd out his Soul under the Hangman's Hands.
And tho' the Athentam were not quite fo rigid, except upon fome extraordinary Occafions, when the giddy Multitude was hurry'd on with unufual Rage and Vehemence, as happen'd in Eudemus\ Cafe ; yet if any Man eftablifli'd a Law, which w^as prejudicial to the Common- Wealth, he might be called in Queftion for it any Time within the Space of one whole Year. In thefe Cafes, a Writ for tranfgrefTing the Laws might take hold of him ; Firjij If he had not taken Care to publiih his Pro-
pofal
( 17 )
pofal in due Time ; Secondly, If he prcpofed it in ambiguous and fallacious Terms ; Thirdly^ If he propog'd any Thing contrary to any of the former received Laws.
Solon finding the Rich Men proud and haughty, and the Poor groaning under the Burden of their Oppreiiion, to eafe their Grievances, divided the People into four Clafles, according to their Eftates ; and tho' he excluded the &:ni<:, or Poor, from bearing any Office in the Government, they had the Liberty of giving their Votes in public Alfemblies-, and, upon an Appeal, might cancel the Decrees of the Magiftrates. Thus he wifely continued the Ma- gillracy in the Hands of the Ricl.\ and yet neither expofed the inferior People to their Cruelty and Op- prelfion, nor wholly deprived them of having a Share in the Government j as he himfelf fiys.
What Power ivasjit I did on all befloiD, Nor rais'd the Poor too high^ mr prefs'd too low : 7he Rich that rul'd, and every Office bore^ Conjind by Laws^ they could not prefs the Poor : Both Parties I fecur'd from lawlefs Might -, So jione prevailed upon another's Right.
Mr. Creech.
Afterwards, by Arijiides' Means, the Poorer Sort were admitted to a Share in tlie Government, and every free Defiizcn render'd capable of appear- ing for the highefl: Preferments. * Tet fuch was
D the
• The Romans did the fan.e. See Livy, who fays. Per k rr an- jilia to deduHa, res rjl, ut 'Tribunos militum ionjulari pcttjlatc prorK:j:ue tx Patribus nc plebc creari finerent ; Je confulihui cretrdii nihil rr.uta-
rtlitr ;
( i8 )
the Modefty of the Commons, that they left the chief Offices^ and Juch as the Care of the Common-Wealth depended upon, to Perfons of fuperior ^ality i af- plring no higher than the Management of petty and trivial Bufmefs, But ftill, in their AiTemblies, they retain'd a Power of even reverfins; the Sentences of the Court of Arcopagites, the mofl facred and vene- rable Tribunal in all Greece.
And fo careful were the Magiftrates, that the People might be acquainted with every Thing which was tranfaded, and that they might have tlie Con- currence of the Multitude with ail their Inftitutions, that they had Officers to compel the Commonalty to come to their AfTemblies, put a fmall Fine on Delinquents, and paid a Reward of three Obidi out of the Exchequer to fuch as came to the Ailembly in due Time, the Expectation of which drew ma- ny of the poorer Sort to the Convention early, ■* And when any new Laws were exhibited, any Private Man might have free Accefs to the Senate, and give in his Sentiments concerning them.
rctur ; eoque contenti tribuni, contenta plebs fult ; tribunos enin
emties patricios creu'vit populus contentus eo^ quod ratio habita plebeio- rum ejfet. Hanc modeftiam aquitatemque, et altitudinem an'imi, ubi nunc in uno ifi'-jeneris, qua tunc populi unin)erji fuit ? L. I v. c. 6. That is : The E.efult of their Debates was, that the Patricians con- fented that iVIilitary Tribunes fhould be chofen promircuoufly out ot the Senators and Commonalty, but nothing fhould be alter*cl in the Eieclions of Confals; with which both die Tribunes and the People
were well fcitisfied. And the People having carried their Point,
.:hofc all the Tribunes out of the Patricians, being content with the Regard \\ hich wai ihewn them. Where can we find in our Days fuch Modeily, Moderation, Good-Nature, and Greatnefs of Soul, iu one finglc Perfon, as was then the dulinguilliing Character of a whole People ?
* See Potter, p. 148.
* Dr.
( '9 )
■* Dr. Potter tells us, Solon intending to make the Atheniam a fiee People, and wifely conlidering that nothing would more conduce to Iccure the Commonalty from the Oppreliion of the Nobi- lity, than to make them tinal Judges of Right and Wrong, enaded, that the Archons^ who had been the fupreme Judges in moO: Caufes, lliould have little farther Power than Examinations, but fliould refer tlie Determinations of fuch Caufes to Judges chofen out of the Citizens, without Diftindion of Quality J the very meanefl being, hy So lo?i^ admit- ted to give their Voices in the popular AirLnibly. •f" By his Conftitutions, the whole Power and Ma- nagement of Affairs were placed in the People ; it was their Prerogative to receive Appeals from the Courts o^ Juftice, to abrogate Old Laws, and enadf NeWy and to make what Alterations in the State they judged convenient in all Matters, whether public or private, foreign or domeftic. Any Perfon, above 30 Years of Age, might deliver his Opinion before the AlTembly, concerning the Matter in Debate. They gave their Suffrages by holding up their Hands : But when a great Man was to be accufed, thev did it by cafting Beans, or Pebbles, into Uriis, lell the Greatnefs of the Perfon lliould biafs them, and, through Fear, a Reftraint Ihould be laid on tlieir
Inclinations. So happy were iht Athtfiiafu^ fo
jull: and equal their Laws.
Let us now take a View of the Proceediags of the Romans in their Enadtion of Laws.
The Laws of the Romans were firft propofv^J by fome Magiftrate, and then affented to by tb.e
»
Sec Potter, p. loS. f p. 97.
D 2 People,
{ 20 )
People, in fome of their refpedive Comitia, or Af- femblies of the whole Body of the People. The only Magiftrates, who had Power to propofe Laws, were Cofifu/s, Prcetors^ the Dictator ^ the Interrcx^ and the 'iribunes of the Commons. If any of thefe Magiftrates thought fit to prefer a new Law, he firft drew it up, wherein he took the Advice of fome Lawyer ; and fome would have the Approbation of the whole Senate, tho* that v/as often omitted. Af- ter this the intended Law was hung up, or expofed, in the Market- Place for the Space of Twenty-feven Days, tribus Nundinis by the Cecilia Didia Lex *, which was call'd the Promulgation of a Law ; it being defigned that, in the mean Time, all People might conlult of the Expediency of it, and every one have free Liberty to admonifh him, who pre- ferr'd it, of any jull Reafon, either to amend it, or wholly furceafe the Propofal. After the third Day, the Magiftrate convened the People at that Place, where it was proper to propofe the Law : There the Town-Clerk, or Notary, reading the Law, the common Cryer proclaim'd it ; which done, he that promulged it, made an Oration of the Reafonable- nefs of it, perfuading the People to pafs it ; and others, who diflik'd it, made Speeches to Ihew its Inconveniencies. After thefe Harangues were finifh'd, an Urn, or Pitcher, was brought to certain Priefts there prefent, into which were caft the Names of the Tribes, Centuries, or Curise, (according as it was preferr'd in the refpedivc Affemblies of either of thefe) and that T^ribe^ Century^ or Curia ^ whofe Name was firfl: drawn, did firft give their Votes,
* '^t^Au.Gdi. Lib. XV. cap. 27. SecKenrut, p. 132. SecU'vy. .
by
( 21 )
^'y the Majority of which the Law was either pafs'd or reied:ed.
That thefe Votes might be free, and not over- awed or influenced by the Greatnefs or Authority of the Senators, or any Pcrfons in their IntcreH:, the * Leges Tabellaria were inflituted, or Voting by Ballot : So that no Man could I^now on which Side • any Dcnizon, or Freeman, gave his Vote. A great Man ca.lls this, " Vindex Libertatis, which " reprieved the Fate of the Common-Wealth for *' an Age, and was the only Barrier, which hinder 'd " the Arijlocracy from fubverting the popular Go- *' vernment, by contriving to conceal the Suffrages " of the Commons, and Icrecn them from the Re- " fentments of their Superiors. In fuch Cafe, where " the People are left to their own Liberty, they will " make Choice, not of thofe whom they fear, but " whom they love, and eileem, for their Attach- " ment to the National Intereft; not of Laws calculated to cafe the Rick^ and burden the Poor^ but of Juch as are proportionate^ jujl and equal.
If at any Time the Trikmes of the Commons, or any of the Magiftrates, propofed Laws, the People, by their Suffrages, could eilablilli them, and make them binding, without the Concur- rence of the Senate, or even in Opposition to their Inclinations -j-. Their Decrees, Vv'ithout the Approbation of the Patricians, were made obligatory
* Leges Ta'ellarias Pcpulus ofpvrj^'us d.miKr.tii. e: potent in Viiicipui flrgitii'vit. Tull.de Leg. L. iii. f Livy, L iii. cnp. 55.
upon
( 22 )
Upon all the Roman People * ; fo far were they from giving a Power to the Rich to domineer, ty- rannize over, and rob the Poor, by Laws enad:ed without their Confent -f-.
Now, my Countrymen, give me Leave to afk you, upon a View of this lliort Abilrad: of the Pri- vileges of Greece and Rome, and the Security of their Liberties and Properties, what do you think of your own Conftitution and Freedom ? Did you ever agree, or confent, to make Three or Four ot your Neighbours, becaufe they have a little more Wealth than yourfelves, arbitrary Difpofers of your Liberties and Properties, and to give them Power to rob and plunder you, without Profpedl of Redrefs, or Room for Appeal ? Is a Power of this Kind agreeable to the Nature of our Conilitution ? • If it be not, fhould we not refume our original Rights, and reduce our Government to its antient Free- dom with all poffible Speed, left, by Degrees, we be robb'd of all our Privileges ? If fmall Encroach- ments are permitted to be made upon the Bounds of Liberty, a Torrent of Mifery and Slavery will foon roll in upon us §.
Trials by Juries, and Appeals from inferior to fuperior Tribunals, from inferior Magiftrates to fu- perior, were, formerly, confidered as the great Fen- ces and Bulwarks of Liberty j but Laws have been cnaQed, of late Years, giving abfolute Power to mean and paltry Fellows to fit as Lord Chancellors,
* Livy, L. viii. cap. 12. Ut Phbifdta omncs .9u'irites tenermt. — Populiis cujus eji fujiima potejlas omnium rerum. Tull. -f- Stc Polylius, B. vi. Etenim Ji quis legem inducat, &c. ^ Frlncipiis objia, Jero medicina paratui\ Cum mala per longas invaluere moras.
dlf-
( 23 )
difpofing of their Neighbours' Properties, and taking away all Power of appealing by Certiorari : And to thefe Creatures is this Power given, without o- bliging them to be accountable to any fuperior Court for their corrupt Condu<5t.
When therefore, my Countrymen, we ruminate on the Freedom of the Romans and Greeks, and compare the Juflice and Equity of their Laws, and judicial Proceedings, with the Condud: of our Com- miilioners of the Land -Tax, and the Powers they are inverted with ; may I not juftly alk you, whe- ther you are not robb'd and plundered, under the Sanation of Law ? A great Man * fays, u^hen Judges are permitted to perijert 'Juflice , and ivreji the Law, then is a mix'd Government the greateil: Tyranny in the World. Is not this the State that you are in, my Countrymen ? And is it not a Shame to you, to the Name of Liberty, and zFree Briton, to have permitted this Tyranny to have reign'd fo long over you ?
For God's Sake ! my Countrymen, roufc up yourfelves, and, at leaft, attem.pt to fliake off this Egyptian Slavery, and curb the Infolence of your infulting Tafk-maflers, who, in Truth, are worfe than thofe who held Ifrael in Bondage, bccaufc they are but the Breath of your Noflrils, and Creatures of your own forming. You have repofcd Conti-
* His Words are : When Judges arc fuffcr'd to pervert Juf-
tice, then is a mix'd Government the worlt Tyranny in the World : It is a Tyr2i\\t\y cftablilhed by Law ; 'tis authorized by Confci.t ; and fuch a People arc bound down with Fetters of their own making. A Tyranny, which governs by the Sword, has few Friends but Men of the Sword ; but a legal Tyranny, where the People are call'd to contirm Iniquity with their own Voices, has of its Side the Rich, the Lazy, the Fearful, thofe that know the Law, and get by it.
dence
( 24 )
dence in them, made them your Delegates, trufted them with the Sword of Power^ to draw it for the J^efence of your Liberties and Properties 3 and they have bafely thrufl it into your own Bowels, given a mortal Stab to your Birthright, and left you the lan- guilhing Dupes of your own Credulity and Confi- dence : But tho' the Britipj Lion may doze for a while, 1 truft he will roufe up himfelf, and convince tliefe proud Archons^ that fome Sparks of Zeal for the Liberty and Birthright of a Briton ftill remain.
It becomes you, my Countrymen, to apply a Remedy to this growing Evil with all poiTible Speed, left the Canker, by Degrees, corrode, eat up, and deftroy your Liberties, your Privileges, your Pro- perties, and render you Slaves without Pity.
But I Ihall wave this Digreffion, and proceed to a more exact Examination of the judicial Proceed- ings of thefe Gentlemen, as alfo of the AB their Authority is grounded on, that their bafe Condudt may appear in its own proper Light.
When an Appeal is made againft fuch a fraudu- lent, collufive AlTefTment, as I have reprefented above, you may remember, an Oath is tender'd to you, and you are alli'd, " Whether or no you are " rated above 45. to the Pound, according to the " Rack-Retit ? " If you are confcientious, and fay Noj you are difmifs'd in a Lordly Manner by the Commiliioners, and, inftead of Redrefs, meet with Ribaldry and Infults. I know this to be your com- mon Cafe ; tho', it's true, I have heard a Commif- lioner exclaim againft the Injuftice of fuch Proceed- ings, and the llovcnly Way thefe Animals^ thefe ti?2y JnjeSis of Poive?-^ have of difpatching Bufinefs j but, notwithftanding, he has filendv concurr'd in their
Rob-
(25)
beries, and- refled contented to be a Partaker of the Spoil.
Lndulge mc, my Countrymen, whilfl I conti- nue the Examination of the Nature and Legality of the Procedure of thefe Gentlemen.
In the firft Place, the Ad: fays, Seel. 4. rkat all Manours^ Meffuages, Lands, Tenement i^ ^c, jJdall be charged ivith as much Equality as pojjible, by a Pound Rate. Sed:. 8. T^he Commijjioiiers are ;y- qidred to caiij'e the Proportions charged on the refpec- five Divijions to be equally ajefs'd ; and farther on, T^ke Ajfeffors are required to ajjefs the Sum given thein in charge upon all Manours^ &c. by an equal Pound-Rate.
Now if thefe Commiffioners, thefc defpotic Ar- chons, virtually of your own Creation, lliould pro- ceed in the Choice of AffefTors, in the collufive Manner mentioned above, and continue the fame Scheme of tendering the Oath to Appellants, as be- fore related ; I fay, if Things Ihould be tranfadted in this Manner, at long-run, Oppreffion may come to fuch a Pafs, that no Perfon, who pays for* above 1 00 /. a- Year to the King, may pay above 1 d. in the Pound, according to the Rari-Rcnt, even at a Time whfcn the Lands are tax'd at 4;. in the Pound.
Ln order to make this a tittle more manifeft and intelligible, I am obliged to have Recourfe to Poli- tical Arithmetic and Calculations.
Dr. Davenant, and Mr. King, make 1 /. the National Rental /)tT yf;/«. — 314,000,000 Others make it about — — 20,000,000 And, when I refled: on the many ind various Improvements made in
E Ae:ri-
(26 )
Agriculture, within thefe 50 Years /, j. ^.
pail; ', the great Increafe we muft have had of People in 35 Years almoll Peace ; and notwithiland- ing the great Exports we make of Grain, the Bounties on which are very great, and, as I remember, on Wheat only, amounted, in one Year, to 1 00,000 /. 5 I fay, when I conlider all thefe Things, I con- ceive the National Rental cannot be lefs per Atin. than 20,000,00c
Upon the AffeiTment of the 4th and 5th of William and Ma- ry^ I think, at 4 s. to the Pound, the Land-Tax amounted to i>977>7^3 ^7 ^i Perfonal Eftates produced about 100,000 o o Confequently, the Lands pay
about 1,877,713 17 iX
But if the Lands were tax'd up to xki^viKack-Rcnt , Iprefume, they would pay, near per Ann, 4,000,000
Now, as the Commiffioners are the Deniiere Rejfort, and have fuch full Powers fenced round with the flaming Sword of treble Cofts, perhaps, in Time, this Oppreffion * may be advanced fo far^ that Cuflom may be pleaded by all the Commiffion- ers, after this Manner. " That they have always " had and enjofd an uncontrotd Power of ajfeffing
* Non etiim ibi confijiunt excmpla, unJe cacperunt ; fed, quamlibet ia tenuem recepta tratnitem, latijfime cvagandi Jibi <viam faciunt : et ui: femel reilo deerratum eji, inpraccps pttiiemtur j nee quifquam Jibi putat turpe^ quod alii fuit fiuiluofum. Says Paterculus.
" tbem-
(27 )
*' themfehes ad libitum, and therefore they will *' pay but one Penny in the Pound, tho' Lands are '* tax'd at 4 s. becaufe they perceive, that the reft of ** the Eftates in the Parifh are fufficient to pay the ** whole Gcfs, and yet the Tax will not amount to ** 4 s. on the Pound, according to the Rack-Rent ; " and becaufe it is to be prefumed that the Legiilature " intended them to make \][t of the Indulgence that ** it has given in this Manner ; otherwife Provifioii ** would have been made to guard againft it : As alio, ** becaufe * they fpend tkeir I'ime and Money in the " Execution of tkeir Offices^ and therefore ought to
E2 " eafe
* When the Florentines had been defeated by Phillipt Vi^onti, Lord »f Lombardy, and they were obliged to raife the Taxes equally, whereas, formerly^ the Rich and Great Men had been accuitom'd to be favour'd, the Gentry exclaimd againft the Inipofition call'd Ca- tajh, becaufe it reftrained their Tyranny, and obliged them to pay an equal Share, in Proportion to their Poflcflions ; tho' the Tax went down chearfuUy enough with the Commonalty. But when a Retro- fpeftion was going to be made of what the Gentry were in Arrear, by eafing themfelves through their Power and Influence formerly ; and a Propofal was made, that the Money arifing from thence fhould be apply 'a towards the Rcimburfcment and Relief of fuch who had been forc'd to fell their Eftates to pay the Taxes, and were thereby reduced to Poverty, which was but a juft and equitable Motion, th^ Gentry were terribly affrighted, exclaim'd againft the Tax as unjuft and unequal ; and added, 'Thc.t it I'jas but renfonable thofi Pi>fons ivho relinquijod, or neglcBid, thtir onvn private- Affairs for the better Ma- nag, ment of the P ublic, j'hculd be fa'vour'' d in tb(ir'laxes\ for devoting their -ivhole Labour to the Benefit of theStatc, there luas no Juftice nor Equity in the World, that the Cityjkould ha've the Profits of their In- dujirj and Efiatt, and from others recei've crJy the Contributions of their EJlates.
Thofe, who were for the Catafio, reply'd, " That as for the " Pains they took, and their Solicitude for their Country, if it were *' troublofome to them, they might have Liberty to retire; for there *' was no Doubt but fome well-afFe£lcd Citizens would be found, " who would not repine to ferve the City both with their Councils " and Eftates ; and that there were fo many Honours and Perquifitcs " attending thofe great Olliccs, ai might fufRcc any reafonable Pcr-
" foni
( 28 )
*' cafe each other j" — the modefl: Confeilion of one qf- the mojl honejl I know among a 'Jimto of them, which I myfelf received from his own Mouth.
According to Mr. King's Calculations, the Gentlemen, who have an Income of 200 /. per Ann. amount to about 26,000 ^ and as then, on an Ave- rage, it will be neceflary, that the Gentlemen, who are qualified to adt as Commiffioners pf the Land- Tax, iliould have, at leafl, fuch an annual Income ; juft fo many Defpotic Tyrants the Freeholders of (his Kingdom have fet over themfelves, by Laws of their own conftituting.
Now, as the Land-Tax, the 4th and /. 5th of William and M.iry^ at 4 s. in the
Pound, amounted to — « Ij977>7^3
And, as we {hall allow for Perfonal
Eftates at this Time 150,000
The Lands pay, now, about ~— 1,827,713
*' fons, without Abatement of their Taxes. But their great Dif- *' content was from another Caufe : The Gentry were offended, that " they could not make War, at other People's Charge, as they were ■* ufed to do formerly ; but were obliged to bear their Share, as well •* as their Neighbours. Had this Way been found out before, there *' would have been no War with YJm^Ladif.ao then, nor with Duke *' Phillip now ; both which Wars were undertaken to fill the Cof- *' fcrs of fome particular Citizens, more than for any general Necef-
« fity." Thus far Mr. Machiavel, Hijl. of Florence, L. IV.
Here, I cannov help remarking how uniform the Gentry have been, in all Ages, in endeav'ouring to load and opprefs the meaner People with the Burden of Taxes, and eaie themfelves by their Power and Influence -, and how prompt they hQ.ve been to ufe all Manner of Artifices to flip their Necks out of the Collar, and put the galling Yoke on their poor, feeble Neighbours. The Florentine GeiMiiy then, and the Britifi at this Time, are exadlly the fame in all their felfifh Views, and avaricious Intentions ; and, I hope, my Country- men will fhew that they have Souls not more abjedt than bafe Itali- ans; but fuch as will difcover the fame Refentment, and be as refq- |u;e jnd fagacious in procuring proper Redrefs.
But
(^9)
But if the fame Artifices and Oppreflions, the fame Cunning and Collufion, be made \J{q of with regard to Perlonal Eftates, as have been with refpedt to Real J we may, one Day or other, perhaps, fee the Pcrfonal Eftates of the Manufidurers and Traders of this Kingdom tax'd at 1,000,000/. inftead of 150,000 /. as a falfe Notion of the Landed Interell too often prevails.
As we fhall confine ourfelves to /. the National Rental molt commonly ap- prov'd, wc will fet the annual Produce, at 4 J. in the Pound, at — 4,000,000
The prcfent Pcrfonal Eftates at 150,000/. from whence the Lands do pay but ' 1,827,713
And lefs tlian what they would pro- /. duce, if tax'd up to the Rack-Rent, 2,172,287 A large Field for Injuflice, Iniquity, and Opprellion to range and expatiate in : A Sum which, every one will allow me, is futhcicnt to fupport any fuch frau- dulent Scheme as I am going to let forth, and which it is in the Power of the Commiliioners of the Land-Tax of this Kingdom to put in Practice.
Upon this Computation, therefore^ we Ihall find the Lands of this Kingdom pay, at this Time, but about 21^. -] to the Pound. Now fuppofing the Oppreffion, I have mentioned above, ihould extend itielf with Time "*, and increafe with Years, it might become univerfal -(- ; and thtn, in Truth, my _^^^^^ Country-
* AtWd reper.tt- fit pi-JJtinus, out fuit tui pijjlimts.
t Ii feldom happens, that tlie Liberties of a Country arc invaded jill at once : The Steps of Power are leilurely and llosv ; Minilters, who have it in their Thoughts to change the Nature of a Govern-
menf.
Countrymen, your Situation would be fuch, as that you 'would be obliged to pay all the Lajid-lax of ibis Kingdom ; and, at the lame Time, thefe Com- miilioners would have the Power and Effrontery to command, infult, and laugh at you, for fuffering fuch Authority to be lodged in their Hands, through your own Indolence and Negligence : At fuch a Time, you will be but a Sort of Vajfals to them, who will enjoy all the Fat of your Lands, at your Ex- pence, and riot in the Effects of your Labour and Sweat. O ! my Countrymen, " Conlider, in this your ** Day, the Things which belong to your Peace, be- " fore they are hid from your Eyes : For, then, thefe " Men will laugh at your Calamity, and mock when *' your Fear cometh ; when your Fear cometh as a " Defolation, and your Deftrudion as aWhirlwind.**
To illuftrate what I have advanced and infinuated, and to make it more clear and manifeft, pardon me, my Countrymen, if I burden you with another Calculation.
Suppose the Rack-Rent of the Lands in a /. City, Town, or Parilli, to be, per Ann. — 5,000 Of thefe, in the Hands of the Commiffioners, i ,000
* There would then remain to be paid for by the Leffer Freeholders, per Ann, — 4,000
ment, go to Work by Degrees. At tirft, they make Ufe of the moft popular Hands thrv can poffibly procure ; ordering it fo, that the
People may not perceive who it is that puts their Fetters on. ■
Davenant, Vol. III.
Machiavel fays. That Things, which are difcover'd at a Dif- tance, (which is done only by prudent Men) produce little Mifchief but what is eafily averted : But when, through Ignorance or Inadver- tency, they come to that Height, that every one difcerns thern, there I is no more Room for any Remedy, and the Difeafe is incurable.- See his Prince.
* Mr. King makes this to be near about the common Proportion. a^-^Vidg his Calcuiatjons.
( 3' )
Let the Sum to be aflefs'd upon this PariOi, or, &c. be 625 /. which amounts to 2s. td. perPound, according to the Rack-Re?it.
Now, fuppofe the CommifTioncrs a6t, agreeable ta their Power, in the Choice of an Aflellbr, an Inlhince of which I have given you above -, and this Tool af- fefles the Lcfler Freeholders at 2S. ^d. in the Pound, according to the Rack-Re?jt^ and the CommifTioncrs at I d. in the Pound, according to the Rack-Rent.
In this Cafe, the LefTcr Freeholders will /. s, d, pay for their Eftates, at 2 J. 5 d. in the Pound i?^r/^- Rent, iox ^f^ool. per Ann, 620 16 8
The Commiffioners for their Eftates, at 1 d. in the Pound, according to the Rack-Rent, will pay for 1000/. ^^r^/;/. 434
Assessed on the City, Cfr. paid — Total 625 o o Here we may obferve, that the fmall, or Lejfer Freeholder s^ are calculated as paying but 2s. ^d. to the Pound, and the Dons, the Commiffioners, but One Penny in the Pound, and yet the whole Sum alTcfs'd may be raifed upon the Toivn, V'llk, Liberty^ &c. notwithilanding. Now if this ihould be the Cafe, if this righteous Scheme lliould be univerfally pat in Pradice, how are you, my Countrymen, to procure Redrels ? If the Oath fliould be tendered to you, to make Inquiiition, whether or no you pay -ibove, or are aflcfled above, 4 s. in the Pound, you lire too confcicntious to fwear off. To whom are you to appeal then ? To what Court can you Hy fjr Relief?
You, perhaps, may fliy, my Countrymen, that this will never happen ; but give me Leave to aik you, why ftiould the Poffibilitv of its Be!7ig exift ?
And
( 32 ) And I imill tell you, that this Tyranny is advancing apace, is adually making large Strides towards Uni- verfality j it is a Monfter in Embrio, in Miniaiure^ and how foon he may grow up to Maturity, and lay his devouring Claws on the Bulk of your Property, you know not : Many feel his Gripes already to their Coft, and how foon you, who are exempt at this Time, may roar out under the fame Diiirefs, is uncertain. Beddes, it was fcarce ever known, when Incroachments have been made by the No- bility and Gentry upon the comm.on People, that they ever gave them up ; or what they ellabiifli'd by Cufkom was ever renounced without terrible Confufion, and a Deluge of Blood. Witnefs the Seditions and Feuds occafioned by the Agrarian Laws, the Fate of the Gracchi^ and the total Sub- verfion of the Ro?nan Commonwealth. Nay, the whole Roman Story, after the Expulfion and Death of the Tarquins * to the Days of Sylla, is but one continued Scene, reprefenting the Pride, InfolencCj Tyranny, Oppreffion, Avarice, and Incroachments of the Gentry upon the Commonalty ; and the gl9- rious Stands and Struggles the People made to pre- ferve their Liberties. For a long Time they were fuccefsful, and baffled all their Artifices ; but the
* Lii'y fays, upon Tarquins Death, Eo mindo ereBi Patres^ ercBa phbs: fed Patribus nimis luxur'iofa eafuit l/^titia : plehi, cui ad eartt ditfn fufnma ope infer'vitu?n erat, injuriai a pri7noribus fieri cccpcre.— That is, " Upon this News, both the Gentry and Commonalty were ** in high Spirits ; but the former were quite tranfportcd : Hitherto " they had been very complaifant to the Middling People ; but, from " this very Day, they began to opprefs, infult, and domineer over ** them.'* Jis fcon as they ^Mere freed from the Apprehenfiom of their ' Tyrant y they cominenced Tyrant: themfel^ja : Zo much alike baa/e Man- kind been in all A^a,
Gentry
( 33 )
Gentry were never at Reft ; tho* Livy tells us, at laft they made but little Oppofition openly ; ajjueti jam tali certaminis gcnere vinci. And tho' the Tri- bunitial Power had clipp'd their Wings To much, that, for near 240 Years, there happen'd no remark- able Seditions ; yet the Gentry were never contented with an Equality of Power, nor fatisfied with a mo- derate Share of Property ; but at laft, through their Avarice, Pride and Tyranny, fo involved Affairs, that they hurried both themlelves and the Commo- nalty into Tyranny and Slavery, rather than give up their Point, and live upon an Equality with their Fellow-Citizens.
'TwAS this tyrannical and oppreflive Difpofition of the Gentry, which produced that remarkable Re- volution in Denmarky and the many Calamities which now attend that Kingdom. My Lord Molefworth fays. * , After the Peace in 1660, the King conven'd the Eftates of the Kingdom, in order to pay off the Arrears due to the Army, and relieve the Diftreffes of his People. The Gentry in that Kingdom, ac- cording to their ulual Pradice, debated how the Sums of Money requifitc might, with the greateft Eafe and Conveniency, be levied upon the Com- monalty, without the leaft Intention of bearing any proportionable Share themfelvcs. Several Dilputes aiole, and many Hiarp ExprelTions pals'd between them. On the one Hand, the Nobility, or Gen- try, were for maintaining their antient Prerogative of paying Nothing by way of Tax, but only by volun- tary Contribution j and fhew'd thcmfelves too ftiff
•f- See his Account of Denmark, p. 45.
F at
(34)
at a Time when the Coiinfry was exhaujled^ and mojl of the remainitig Riches were lodged in their Hands : They feem'd to make Uie of this Occafion, not only to vindicate, but even to widen and enlarge, their Privileges above the Clergy and Commonalty, by laying Impofitions on them at Pleafure ; which Weight they themielves would not touch with one of their Fingers, any further than as they thought fitting.
On the other Hand, the Clergy, for their late Adherence to the Interefl: of their Country, and the Burghers, for the vigorous Defence of the City, thought they might juftly pretend to new Merit, and be coniidered, at leafl;, as good Subjeds in a State which they themfelves had fo valiantly defended. They remember 'd the great Promifes made them when dangerous Enterprizes were to be taken in Hand, and how fuccefsfully they had executed them } thereby faving, from a foreign Yoke, not only the City of Copenhagen, but the whole King- dom, the Royal Family, nay, thofe very Gieat Men who, now, dealt fo hardly with them : They judged it, therefore, reafonable, that the Sums oj^ Money neceffary Jhould be levied proportionabl)\ and that the Gentry^ who enjoy'd all the Lands, (hould, at leaft, pay their Share of the Taxes, fince they i had fuffer'd lefs in the common Calamity, and done ! lefs to prevent the Progrefs of it.
This Manner of arguing was very diipleafing to the Gentry, and begat much Heat, and many bit- ter Replies, on both Sides. At length a principal Gentleman, named Otto Craeg, ftood up, and, in great Anger, told the Prefident of the City, That ' the Commonalty neither underftood, nor confidercd, ^ the Privileges of the Gentry, who at all Times had ^
bees
W
ii
(35)
been exempted from Taxes ; nor the true Condition of themfelves, who were no otlier than Slaves ; (the Word in DaniJJj is Unfree) fo that their beft Way was to keep within their own Bounds, and ac- quiefce in fuch Meafures as antient Practice had war- ranted, and which they were refolved to maintain. This Word Slaves put all the Burghers, and Clergy, in Difordcr. Nanfon^ the Prefident of the City, fwore an Oath, that the Commons U'cre no Slaves^ nor wouU, from thenceforivard^ be call\i jo by the Nobility^ nvhicb they fiould prove to their Cofi. Upon this the Commonalty, being provok'd to the liighefi Degree, thought it was neceltiry to confidcr fpeedily of the moft effedhial Means to fupprefs the intolerable Pride of the Great Men, and how to mend their Condition j fo concluded to make the King abfolute, and rather to cliange many Mafters for one, and to bear Hardlliips from a King, than from inferior Perfons : The Great Men, all the while ignorant of their Refolutions, having a long Time been ufed to fiight, and tyrannize over them, were not fenfible of any impending Danger ; and from thence contemn 'd their Threats, as well as their Perfons. But fad was the Sequel, melancholy the Catii/irophe j for this Infolcnce of the Gentry, and •ich Men, and their Refufal to pay a proportionate Dhare of the Taxes, ended in the entire Subverlion )f the Liberties of the Nation, and involved both ^ich and Poor, Noble and Ignoble, Great and )mall, in Slavery and Ruin.
Here we have a flagrant Inflance of the Ingrati- ude, Avarice, Rapine, Inhumanity, and Oppicliion >f die Rich and Great , how ready they are to eafc hemlelves of Taxes, and load their poor, indigent
F 2 Neigh-
(36)
Neighbours, notwithftanding they wallow In Wealth and Luxury. But let the tragic End of the Dajiipj Gentry be a Warning to all luch Oppreflbrs. And here we may fee how ready OpprelTors are to plead Prefcription and Cuftom in Support of their Tyran- nies, and how much it is our Duty to watch care- fully again ft all Innovations, and Incroachments upon our Privileges and Liberties.
Exert yourfelves therefore (Countrypen) like true Britons ; deflroy this growing Venom j lay your Herculean Club on the Monfter ; lop oft the Head of this Vulture^ before your Vitals are dcr vour'd, and your Properties become a Prey to merci- lefs Tyrants and Cannibals. Power is an intoxicating Philtre; Negligence and Connivance, a rich Soil properly adapted to nourifli and fofter the noxious Weeds of Tyranny and Oppreflion. Nip Oppref- fion in the Bud ; conftder little Things often arife to be great j and fmall Incroachments on Liberty, if not ftopp'd, will end in defpotic Tyranny. Remember what the Arijlocracy of the 400 about the Time of Nicias^ and the 30 Tyrants, did at Athens.^' Call to Mind the Decemviri *f- at Rome^ who were all cho- fen by the People to be the Guardians of Liberty and Property, yet moft bafely trampled upon every . Thing that was juft and facred. j
Cardinal Richlieu fays, in his Tefiament Politique^ ] p. 2. cap, 4. " That it is more neceffary toconlider " the future, than the prefent j and that Diftempers " are like the Enemies of a State, againft whom " Prudence obliges to march, rather than tarry 'till " they are come to drive them out again ; that thofe,
* See Dr. Potter, G. ^. p. i6. f See Uvy.
(37) " who do not follow this Method, will fall into great " Confufions, which it will be very difficult to remc- *' dy afterwards." And he lays it down farther,
" That it is a common Thing among we:k Men " to drive off Time, and to chufe the preferving *' their Eafe for a Month, rather than to depA'e " themfelves of it for a iijhiL\ to avoid the Trouble " of it for many Years ; which they do not confider j " they lee only what is prefent, and do not anticipate " Time by a wife Providence."
Machiavel fays, " Tht Romans could never " relifh the Saying, that is fo frequent in the Mouths *' of our Politicians^ To enjoy the prefent Beiufits of *' Time. They either provided againft, or fronted, *' a Danger, and feldom let themtelves be overti ken " by it." He fays likewife. That Things, which are difcovered at a Diftance, (which is done only by prudent Men) produce little Mifchief but what is eafily averted. But when, through either Ignorance or Inadvertency, they come to that Height, that every one difcerns them, there is no Room lor any Reme- dy, and the Difeafe is incurable.
We have here cited the Authorities of two very great Politicians^ well-vers'd both in the Theory and Pradice of StateAffairs, to fliew you, wv^ Countrymen ^ how dangerous it is to procrartinate, to conlult No- thing but prefent Eafe, and to ufe palliating Reme- dies to Evils which are in the Embrio ; when the moil: fpeedy Corro/ives ought to be ..pplicd, to ftop the Progrels of a Gangreen in its Inrancy, leil, at lad, it lliould abfolutely deflroy the Libe; ty of the Body Politick.
I'hp: Taille in France was luid on only to fupport one War, but has, notwithllanding, been levied ever
fmce
( 38 )
fmce the Reign of their King "John. And tho* this Tax, and the ^aillon^ are elteem'd cruel and heavy Burdens, by the Inhabitants of that Kingdom ; to the Shame of my Countrymen be it fpoken, I believe that People, however patient of Slavery, and fub- miffive to their Prince, would, long ago, have (liaken off the Yoke at the Hazard of their Lives, and at the Expence of their Fortunes, had they been fo much expofed, by the Laws and Ordinances of State, to the Tyranny and Rapine of their Equals, without any Place being left forRedrefs, or any Room for Ap- peal, as we are here in England^ by the Laws which diredl the Levying the Land-Tax, and the oppref- iive Mcafures made Ufe of in the Execution of the faid Ad:. VVitnefs the Infurreftions *, and Tumults, which liLippen'd at various Times, excited by the in- conceivable Averfion and Difgufl thefe People had to Taxes, tho' laid on with more Juftlce and Equality than the Tax we have been inveighing againli. But more of this b)e and hye.
What makes all Taxes moil: grievous, is the un- equal, and unjuil Diftribution and Levying of them ; as Dr. Davejiant, Sir Wm, Temple, and all other Politicians remark. If I miftake not, "f- De Wit fays, a 'Dutch Manufacturer pays 40 /. pe7' Cent, of his Labour on a Piece of Cloth in Taxes ; but does it patiently, becaufe he knows he fares as well as his Neighbours, and the Taxes are levied with the greatefl Impartiality and Equality imaginable : To which may be added, that he is always fatisfied that
* Voyez De TEtat dcs affaires de France, par Bernard de Girard Segneur du Haiihvi. P. 263.
f See Be Wit\ Memoirs, and Dutch better Friends than the French. P. 22.
the
(39 )
the Taxes are, at all Times, carefully applied to the Ufes for which they were intended ; and thefe Con- fiderations make the People ealy under the greatell Burthens.
* My Lord MoJefworth, to the fame Purpofe, fays, " Before I conclude this Chapter, I think it *' very pertinent to take Notice, that, in Den?n^rk, " there are no Seditions, Mutinies, or Libels, againft ** the Government j but all the People either are, or *' appear to be, Lovers of their King, notv»'iihftand- " ing their ill Treatment, and the Hardlhips they " groan under : And I fuppofe one principal Rcajon " of this to be the Equality of their T'axes^ and the " Manjier of Taxing.
" It is not to be imagin'd, by thofe who fee it " not, ijohat a Comfort it is to the Sufferers to be " /// ufed alike : For Poverty and Riches being only ** fuch in Proportion, provided Men be treated like •' their Neighbours, they grumble not: That, which *' vexes the Opprefled in moft Countries, (efpecially " the common People, who are more than ordinary " envious) is to fee their County^ their Parifk, " their Hottfe tax'd more than their Neighbours : " And they have Reafon to be difcontented at this; " for it brings real Poverty upon thofe who are *' overtax'd. It does not diminifh the real Stock of " the Subjeds' Money, which would keep all Com- " modifies and NecefTaries at equal Rates ; but pich " particular Men's Pockets, whilrt: it leaves others " rich, and able to profit by the Ncccirities of the " Poor."
* Account of Denmark, Chap. xv. P. zzG. nhich contair.s a fine I fffon, with Volumciof InllruCtion in ir, but only to tiiC diicernim; Foli.ician, who knows how to ir.iikc a pjo|cr Ufc ai it.
But
( 40 )
But, to clearly convince n\y Count i'ymcn of the Opprefiions th-^y lie under, the arbitrary Power they have unwarily conftituted, and the Slavery they are lubjed: to, I iLall ky before them a concife Hiftori^ cal Narrative of the Methods obferved, in France^ in afTclTing and levying the Taxes call'd T^aille and Ti'aiUoJiy which are confider'd by the French as the moll: oppi'effive and cruel of any exaded from them. By This the Reader will be capable of judging of die Value of his boailed Englijh Liberty^ and the Privi- leges and Advantages an EngliJJj Freeholder enjoys above a Roturie}\ or Boor, of France^ SoTy I am, that, at fuch a Conjundure, I fliould have Caufe to make fo odious a Comparifon. But to the Subje(^li As foon as the Sum his Majefly of France is plea- fed to demand of his People, is refolved upon in his Royal Council, Commiffions are fent to the Treafu- rers-General of France^ elfablilLed in the Offices of their refpedive Generalities : Which Commiffions enjoin the faid Treafurers-General to divide the Sum, which they are commanded to levy upon their re- fpe6tive Jurifdidtions, into as jufl and equal Propor- tions as they poffiibly can * -, which done, they fend them to the EliCs^ or Eleds, who are fomething like our Commiffioners of Land-Tax, and are Judges of the Elections ; with an Order thereunto annex'd.
* Apres que les Elm ont fait Itur Dtparternens its enioient Itur CcmmiJ/ions partisulieres aux ConfuUy Mai res. Jurat Sy Syndics ou Ef- chs'vins de tantes les Villes (ff Parroijfes de leur Eledions par lefquelle: Us leur mandent ajfeoir, impofer i3 cottifer fur leur Habit ans la Sommt y declaree plus jujtefnent {ff egalement qu il fra poj/lble ; le fort por- tant le foible fuinjant /' Qrdonnance. Ces Conjuls pour ce faire^ fro- cedent a annuelle cleft icn, IfS font nommez. Affeeurs ; Aufi eji leur chargt de mettre a la Taille tous les habitans chacun felon fcs Facultez, U n^ ebmettre perfonne,—-—GiRf^Ki}, p. 343.
by
(41 )
ty which they are commanded to levy jurt: fuch a Sum, neither more nor lefs, within the Extent of their Eledions. The Eleds thereupon aiTembie, and draw up T'ax-Rolls^ by which they alTefs the Cities, Boroughs, Villages within their feveral Elec- tions, and afterwards fend thofe Rolls to the Chief Officers of the faid Cities, &c. who affemble the People to eled AfTefTors, which is done by a Plura- lity of Voices. Thefe AfFeflbrs make out Rolls, and illcfs every Individual according to his Circumftances md Abilities, and the befl: of their Judgment. After .\i\s is done, the People chufe Colledtors to colleft he AfTcfTment, by a Majority of their Suffrages; uid thofe are generally cleifted, who will execute he Office for the leaft Salary or Difcount. The ■lolls, or Aflcffments, are delivered to thefe Collec- ors, who levy the Sum affefs'd, and pay it to the Receivers of the Taxes for every Election, and they gain are to return it to the General Receivers of the jeiicrality, who tranfmit it to the Royal Treafury,
When Contefls, or Differences, arife concerning hell- Taxes and Afleflments, there is an Appeal lies rom the AffefTors to the Judges of the Eledion ; nd from their Decifion to the Court of Aides, vhoie Determination is final.
Now, the Difference between the Method of af-* -Mling and collcding the Taxes in England and ■rrjice is worthy of exadt Remark and Comparifon, 5 the firft is mofl cruel and oppreffive, and us we ' L fo vain as to imagine our Liberties and Properties :c much more fecure, in every Refpedl, from the ivMfion, Infolence, and Oppreffion ^f our Supe- iors, than they are in France^
G In
(42)
In the Kingdom of France the * Elu'Sy or Judges of the Courts of Election, are very few in Number, and are exempt themfelves from thofe Taxes in the common Shape, tho', perhaps, they pay their Share in another Form. From hence, they cannot be un- der any Biafs to do Injuftice, in order to eafe them- felves, which is our unhappy Cafe in England.
Again, in France, thefe Courts are held at fome Dillance from the greatell: Parts of the Towns, Cities, Villages, &c. concern'd ; (6 that the Judges cannot be fuppofed to be influenced or biafs'd by -f perfonal Acquaintance, particular Intimacy, private Friend- fliips, or their Oppofites •, from whence arifes the greater Probability of ftri<5l Juftice and Impartiality ill the Execution of their Office.
In Eng1a7jd, the Commiffioners are in the Neigh- bourhood, have Favour and Affedlion to bend them of one Side, Rancour and Animofity to warp them of the other j fo that it is ten to one, if Jullice be done in any Difpute. Our Forefathers were fo ap- prehenfive of, and fo cautious in guarding againff, the evil EfFeds of Influence of this Kind, that they made a Law, incapacitating a Judge of j^JJize to lit at the Bar in a County which gave Birth to him : But our more wife Generation has lately repealed this judicious Law, being grown weary of the obfolete
* In t'i^ Election of Paris ^ containing 440 Parifhes, the Court of Eleftion, which determines all Controverfies arifing about the King's Taxes, is compofed of a Prefident, a Lieutenant, one Afleifor, 16 Councellors eledt, one Advocate and Proi^or for the King, and fome inferior Officers, who are all fworn : From whence we may obferve, there is about one Commiffioner to 50 Parifhes.
See the Prefent State of France, in 2 Vols, i zmo.
•f- ^la fwvor aut odium in jiidice, plus 'valet quam optima lex in ("odice.
Fences
( 43 )
Fences of Liberty, and Juflice, coiiflltuted by tlieir nd-fajhioncd PrcdecefTors.
But how neccfTary it is to avoid every minute I^ircumftance, which may tend to biafs the Judg- "nent in the Dillribution of Jullice, nothing can nore clearly evince, than the Pradice of fome of he wifefl; of the Grecian States, who had tho- OLighly ftudied human Nature, and form'd their -.;i\vs accordingly. From hence we find, that it was \\t Cuftom of the Court oi Areopagites at Athens to ry Criminals brought before them in the Dark, that hey might not be under the Influence even of a .ouk, which might biafs them either for or againft he Criminal : And, to be fure, the lefs Knowledge oil have of any Thing but the Merits of the Caufe, he more Probability there is of your doing Juftice II any Difpute which comes before you.
In France alfo, the Tai/Ie and Tat lion y &c. are af- efs'd and collected by Perfons of their own chufing*, vho arc on an equal Footing witii thofe who are to )e tax'd : Perfons who are eleded for their known ntcgrity, Candour, good Senfe, Juflicc, and Impar- iality, by the Majority of the Suffrages of thofe very ■*erfons who are to be tax'd 3 and this is done with a 3efign that every one may have Juftice impartially dminifler'd to him. It is impolliblc, in France, that nfamous Tools, couchant Sycophants, and Knights )f the Port, can be chofen by the Elu's to do any ivaritious Drudgery, or be the Inftruments ot Cor- uption, in executing the Dictates of Favour, or vrccking the pernicious Effeds of Revenge, and Animofity. But in this Kingdom, private Piques a<5t
lis fsnt Elus et no>r.meK. par la pluralite dfjoix, et /ajraga da '^itam. GiRARD, p. 54V
G 2 inftead
( 44 ) 'nftead of Law, and perfonal Rancour weighs down the Balance of Juftice. Unhappy Britons! Sup- pofe, mFrance, the Peafant's Houiliold-Goods fhould be feized for his Taxes ; if he be unequally tax'd, and the Goods be unjuflly feized, he may appeal to the Elu'Sy the Judges and Commiffioners of the Eledion, and find Redrefs. But if they fhould happen to be fuch a Sort of legal Banditti^ as are in this K — gd — m, and, through Partiality and Cor- ruption, fhould refufe him Juflice, he may appeal to the Court of Aides, Now though, perhaps, the Rich in France have no more Regard to Juftice in their Decifions with refpedt to the Poor, than they have in this Kingdom j yet the very Knowledge that there is Room for an Appeal mufl,' in fome Meafure, induce them to have a more ftridt Regard to Juflice, becaufe if their very Friends, whom they would dif- honeflly ferve, are caft in a fuperior Court, it mufl redound to their own Difgrace, and their Friends Injury. But a Free Briton is manacled down to the Decifions of an infolent, partial £///, whofe Intereffc often it is to rob him 5 and what is a flrong Temp- tation fo to do, is, it is the only Way he has to eafe himfelf j and it is alfo a Way he may purfue with Impunity.*
In fuch a Cafe, to whom fhall our Free Briton fly for Redrefs? Why, truly, there is no Way left open for him. He is furrounded by the Arrows of Injuflice, without a Law to fliield him, or an Ajy- lum to fly to. He is damp'd to groan, and couch under, the Tyranny, like a Turkijl:) Pcafant under the Scourge of an infolent Bafiaiv : Nay, I quef-
^ Oderunt peccure tfiali formiciifie /«■;/<«•.
tion
(45 )
tlon whether his Condition is not worfe than the Mtiffelmafis *. This is the Freedom, this is the Pidtare of a Free Briton !
The noble Lord I mentioned above fays, *' That " tho' Denmark is under a worfe Tyranny than the " Inhabitants of the Dominions of the Grand Signior, ** yet the Adminillration of Juftice there is prefcr- '* able to the arbitrary Methods, and odious Chica- '^ nery^ purfucd in £);zg"/^W." There-
* My Lord Molef-Morth fays, — Much has been fpokcn, and writ- ten by feveral Authors, of the Rigour of the Turkijh Government ; let us coiifider fome Particulars of it, by way of Comparifon.
The lurks arc the Conquerors of the Chrillians in the Countries they have over-run, and luve a Sort of barbarous Right to ufe them ill ; yet they never perfecute them upon the Account of Conlcience ; they fuffcr thern, for the moll Part, to inhabit, and cultivate their own Lands, witliout Difturbance, paying only a Cvatche Yearly for Tribute ; which, as I have been inform'd by a Miniltcr of his Impe- rial Majefty, amounted, in Hungary, Scla-jonia, Scrvia, and Bofnia, (Only to about ten Dollars, 45/. for an ordinary Family in Time of Peace, and, during a War, Nothing.
It is true, the Propriety of all Lands in Turky is in the Grand Sig- nior ; but, whether it be not better to be only a Farmer at an z'xKv Rent, than to have the Name of a Proprietor without a comfortable Subfiftence, and in Eft'edl to be Mailer of Nothing, I leave the Reader to judge.
The forcing away Children from the poor Chriftian Parents is ac- counted a great Hardfhip, tho' it be for the worldly Profit and Ad- vancement of thefc Children : Bating the Ppint of Religion, it is a far lefs Mifchicf to deprive Parents of their Sons and Daughters, to maintain tkein well, than to leave a heavy Charge upon their Handy, after having taken away all Pollibility of nourilhing and educating them.
The Sun, Soil, Climate, and Situation, with other nauiral Advan- tages of the Grand Signior's Dominions, as to Proht and PIcafure, arc infinitely beyond thoic of other Northern Countries, tliat we are ac- quainted with. In 'Turky the Harbours are open, e.xccpt lome few Places on the Black Sen ; whereas, here, they are frozen up tlirec or four Months in a Year. There the Fruit, Corn, and Herbs, have double the Nourilhment they have here. //; a t^'ord, in fome Chrif- lian Countries of Europe, there feern to be moji cf the Mifchiefs of a 1'urkilh Go-vcrnmtnt in o.n infinitely viorfe Climate : Bcfldcs, we arc to
cgniidcr
(46 )
Therefore, with all our bonded Liberty, with .a]l our Opiniatrety, Vanity, and Conceit of our Freedom, that we are, notwidiftanding, under a cur- Jed Tyranny and Oppreflion, tn many important Ca- fes, will appear mcnifefl: to every impartial Reader, wh«^n we come to compare our own Condition with one of the moft defpotic and oppreflive Governments in Europe^ that is worfe than even Turkip^y and yet, in fome Refpeds, mcich better than our own. And that the Reader may the better judge, let him confi- der what follows.
In Denmark^ in the ordinary Proceedings between Man and Man, there are three Courts, every one of wliich has Power to give a definitive Sentence, and muft either acquit or condemn. Yet there lies an Appeal from the lower to the higher j and if the in- ferior Judge has wilfully varied from the pofitive Lasv, the Party wrong'd has Damages given him, both from the * Judge, and his Adverfary. Here is no Renioval of Anions from one Court to another, where the Parties may begin all again j but by way of ordinal y Procedure from the lower to the higher.
The three Courts are i\\t(c: Firft, in the Cities and Towns, tiie Byfoghds Court, to which, in the Coujitry, does anfwer the Herredsfoughds Courts Secondly, From thence lies an Appeal to the La?id- ftais Court, or general Head Court of the Province. Thirdly, From thence to the Court, call'd the High- right, in Copenhagen, where the King himfelf fome- tim^es fics in Perfon ,; and it is always compofed of the
Comider, thai the -^urk: tlu infelve.", who are Lords and Mailcn, live Well and pieafar.'Iy ; and it is their conquered Slaves, whom they uie . in the Manner above-mentioned. — See Acccu-nt of Denmark, />. 239. ,
* Among the Romans, tiie Actions call'd yudiciian Calumniee, and Judicium fal ft y were analogoire to titis Cuflom. — ^u Kennet,/>. i 37.
Prime
(47 ) Prime Nobility of the Kingdom. The Judges in the two former Courts, 'tis true, are conftitutcd by the King's Letters Patent.":, dH?'a?i:e baie placito -^ but arc punirtiable for any Mifdemeanours commit- ted, and condemn'd to make Reparation to the Par- ties injured, for any Injuftice by them done.
Th e Sentences pals'd in the inferior Courts are, fometimes, biafs'd and partial 3 but not often, jor fear of the higheji Courts where great Regard is had to 'J'jjlice ; infomuch that, fome Time ago, a Judge very hardly efcap'd being fined for a Sentence pafs'd againfl: an E?iglijh Merchant ivith regard to the Re- vefiuej which was prefently revers'd.
And all this is done in a Hiort Time, 12 Montlis at moft ; and a Man may be his own Advocate, or hire one at a fmall Expence.
Here is a Country the moft curied under the Sun, and yet not fo curs'd in fome Cafes ; nay, in Cafes of Confequence, Cafes of Property, whicJi let all Mankind togetlier by the Ears; I lay, not fo curs'd as tl:is Kingdom ; not fo curs'd as Free Britons.
At thcB\foghds and Land/lag's Courts, the Jud^c inferts the Law, and adds, in Writing, the Realbns upon which his Judgment is founded.
Every one may plead his own Caufe, that plea- f^s ; however, it is the King's Order, that the Ma- Tiftrates take Care to have one or more Advocates, who are to plead for the Poor, and fuch as -cannot 3lead for themfelves. Upon the Whole, the Char- ges of the Law are very eafy, fince a Coniplaint may ;o through all the Courts for 50 Rixdollars, which about 12/. Sterling.
I SIGH, I bluili, now I am come to the invidious \{k of comparing this Account witli the judicial ■^ Pi oceed-
(48 ) Proceedings, and jufticiary Proceftes of my own Country.
If, in the fijl Place, we turn our Eyes to' Law and Juftice, Procefs and Judgment, as car- ried on at the Quarter-Seffions in every County in E?jglandy we ihall find it to be a Scandal to Magif- tracy, and a Reproach to Government. The Jufti- ces, in their colledlive Capacity, are a Court of Re*- cord, and cognifable to no fuperior Court. They have Power to determine of Property and Life ; tho' they are, too often, mean, fenfelefs, infignificant Animals *, who are unacquainted with the Laws of their Country, and not in the lead qualified for the Office they are raifed to, or to exercife the Power they have delegated to them ; moll; commonly taken from the Dregs of the People, upon no other Ac- count, but becaufe by Fraud, Avarice and Rapine^ they have accumulated fuch a particular Fortune : So that they are mounted to what ought to be efteem'd an Honour, for what, perhaps, in ftrid Juftice, they ought to be advanced to a Gibbet.
Thus they are nominated by Dint of Eftate, or Minifterial Influence, without any Regard to their Knowledge, Virtue, or Integrity ; often avaricious in their Difpofitions, fordid in their Manners, cor- rupt in their Principles, bafe in their Minds, illite- rate in their Education, and debauch'd in their Mo- rals. And yet thefe Gentlemen are deputed to be the Scourges of Vice and Immorality, the Execu- tors of Juftice, and the Prefervers of the Peace of the Community.
* JJini ad Ljram,
Where'
{ 49 )
Where in Plirtory, either aiiticnt or moJcrn, U tJiere an Example, in a free Community, of inch * Implements being cholen and employ 'd as Ma'^il- trates ? What recommends them is Eftate, or PaSy- Zeal, not Integrity j what qualiiies them is Wealth not Knowledge in the Laws; what gives them Fowei-ofPacetoad, is Ignorance and Impudence not Probity, Judgment and Integrity; what in- duces them to a(5t is Interefl, Piide, and Vanity not Benevolence, a Regard to Juflice, and a Love to their Country. No Wonder, if fuch Men, in- veited with arbitrary Power, and confcituted a Gz/r^ cf Record, fliould often plunge headlong into the Deptlis of Iniquity.
^ After this Manner, in every County we have Ignorant petty ryra72ts conllltuted to lord it over us inltcad of honourable, ingenuous, upright, confci- entious, learn'd and judicious Ma^iftrates : Subjec- tion to luch Implements '\^ ziW^ Englijh Liber tx • md inch Authority, the be/l conilituted Govern- ment in the World.
I HOPE no one w^ill think, I have been too fe- ^ere upon this Race of Animals, when I have only rollow d the Example of fo great a Man as my Lord -oKt^f , who obferves, - Tliat this Court of Juf- ' ticcs was, once, fucli a Foi-m of llibordinate Go- 'vernment for the Quiet of the Reahii, that if ^' duly executed, no Part of the Chrillian World had I the like; but, of late, it has been compolld of I iLich an unluitablc Mixture of Men, that it is be ;' come a Subjea in Plays, and, a Jell ia Comedies.-
t ^;J• Hatty S^tlmat!, and Larr.hnt, fav the fame.
H But
( s° )
Bat what would his Lordfliip have faid, had he lived in our Days to have feen the Extcnlion of their Power Tapping our Liberties, and the important Airs thefe infignihcant i\nimals often give themfelves in the Execution of their Office r Certainly, he would have burfted with Difdain and Laughter.
I WOULD not be underllood here to mean all in- difcriminately ; no, there are fome of them, who are Men of Birth, Rank, Senfe, Education, Know- ledge in the Laws, and of llrid: Integrity, Honour.. Impartiality and Juflice ^ but, alas ! fuch are gene- rally borne down by a corrupt Majority of Nofes : When Magiftrates arc ele<fled to Office upon Ac- count of their Wealth, without Regard to their Knowledge or Virtue, this will always be the Cafe, Machia'-jcl fays of Rome, " Poverty was no Impe- " diment to Preferment : Virtue was the only " Thing required in the Eledion of Magiftrates, " and the Diftribution of Offices ; and where it was *' found, let the Perfon, or Family, be ever fo poor, " it was fure to be advanced ; which Manner of '^ Living made Riches confemptil?ie." Bat, in this Kingdom, any Booby is inverted with the Enfigns of Magiftracy, provided he has as many Acres of Land, as are neceflary to qualify him to aCt ^ and this Eftate conftitutes him a Lord Chancellor : More Acres are required to make a Country Juftice, , than were neceflary to qualify a Romafi Dictator for- merly : In thofe Days, Poverty and Honour were not ib inconfiftent as they are now j and four Acres of Land were fufficient to qualify Cijicinnatus for the fupreme Command. But, now-a-days, all Dig- nity and Eminence are affix'd to Wealth, as if Merit and Virtue were the neceflary Concomitants of a large
Eftate
(5' )
Lilatc, and, like the Manfion-Houfc, were to be purchaled with it, and thrown into the Bargain.*
And tho' they are, generally, fach contemptible Animals, as I have defcrib'd 3 yet they are, in many important Cafes of Property, made the Derniere Reffort, not accountable to any fuperior Court, in- vefled with an uncontrolable Power without Ap- peal ; nor arc they punifliablc for any corrupt Prac- tices, Male-Condu(!t, or tyrannical and unjuft Pro- ceedings. From hence the Number of Nofes makes that Law in tlie Afternoon, which was deter- mined by them to be the highefl Injuflice in the Morning ; and, perhaps, they itumbled right.
P'rom hence all Caufes, which come before them, are determined, juft as Favour or Affccftion, Caprice or Jntereft, Ignorance or Knavery, Ihall dictate j all which, it is notorious, moft fliamefully govern a- mong them. But why Matters of Property ffiould be left to the fole Determination of thele Creatures, without a Power of Appeal, or the Verdid of an honcft Jury to fct Things right ^ I fay, why Caufes ftiould be determined after this Maimer in this Court, when the Proceeding, both m fuperior and inferior Courts, is by JuricSy I cannot fo much as imagine.
But thefe Powers are Innovations contrary to tlie very Nature of our Constitution , and its fundamen- tal Laws i they are an Incroachment upon our Li-
* Whereas in all Politics and Societies in the World, there fhoulii be but two effcntial Qualifications nccelVary to intitle a Man to a ^luire in the Legiflaturc of his Country, or the Adminillration of fullicc, namely, Integrity and Ability. Tliefe are Qualifications-, A-hich ought not to be dilpcnfed with ; and no one, deftitutc ol hem, ousUt to be eatruilcd with any Authority, any Influence.
H 2 bcrties.
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( 53) oppreffivc. What Realbn ci be given why an Ap- peal /hould not lie to a fuperjr Court, or thofc Jud- ges be accountable to fome < pcrior Power for their Condud; ? Without luch .a'c, and without fuch Reftridion, there are no K-pes of rcllraining the Executive Powers of Govrnment from degene- rating into Oppreffion and 1 ranny.
In the Courts at PFeJlminjT Juries, inforni'd by the Judge, determine j butiere interellcd Perfons often, by Coliufion, judge /ithout any Regard to Law or Juftice, fo that thir Decilions are become a Matter of Scorn and C^^-mpt, even among the Populace, and the vciy Me. A Power ot tliis Kind, conftituted to i'j/i ithout Appeal, forms a Tyranny fcarce to be c./: M under the moft bar- barous Governments. L, m this Court, Juries were impannel'd to try GiU'S, and judge of Mv^//; and Tiiiim^ in private Afrair: as well as criminal and publick, there might be Itne Profped: of havin^ Juftice done : But, now, a Things are carried by Number of Nofes, inftca of Law, or Juftice. Scandalous Authority !
The Eftabliftiing this (amplication of Folly, Stupidit}^ Oppreftion and granny, is falved over with the fpecious Pretencj ;' conftituting a Power to determine Difputes in .'. ;mrnary JVay. * Sum- mary Methods of determnng Controverfies, and ftiort Decinons are beft, pjvided that, inftead of eftabhftaing Right and Juil;.-, they do not natural!'/ tend to pervert it, and n.ke the Remedy worl'c tnan the Difeafe, v/hich , here, apparently the ^aie. There ought to b, in this Court, either
* Omnia male, cxcfnpla honi^ Us orta/unt. Sa llust.
Trials
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(52 )
bcrtics, and, in Truth, as they conilitute our Gen- try Tyrants, fo they make the Bulk of the People Slaves. *
I CANNOT conceive, for my Part, why, at a Quarter-SefTions, when the Controverfy is about, perhaps, a large Sum of Money, a Jury fhould not be impannel'd to try the Caufe, and judge of the Equity or Law of a Difpute, and give a Verdidt accordingly ■ as VvtU as in his Majeily's Courts at U'ejifniiijler^ which take CogniUmce of all Matters above 40 s. Value, and often do not give above 2 d. Damage in Caufes there decided. Thefe Courts are the great Bulwarks, and Fences of our Liberties ; and happy it is for us, tliat we are not totally ex-; eluded from them.
But at a Quarter-SefTions, inftead of a fair Trial per Pares^ by Men of your own Rank, a Knot of infolent Tyrants are deputed to give Judgment with- out Appeal, and without Fear of Punifhment, tho' that Judgment be never fo erroneous, and contrary to Law, Equity, and common Senfe. Our Proper- ties and Perfons are left the Sport of the Caprice and Humour of tiny Infedts of Power, whofe Weaknefs and Wickedncfs are become the Scorn of Mankind, the Jefl of the Theatre^ the Scandal of Govern-- ment, and a Reproach to the Name of Liberty; yet this is the E?iglil]j Liberty we boafl: of.
The Laws, which make the Quarter-Seffions tl e Derniere Rejj'ort, convert our Free Government in- to an Ariflocratical Tyranny, as they give an abfo- lute Power to a Fev/ Rich Men, to difpofe of the Property of their Fellow-Citizens without a 'Jury^ without Appeal, without Fear of Punifliment, tho' their Determinations be ever fo unjuft, cruel, and
opprellive.
( 53 ) opprefiivc. What Reafon can be given why an Ap- peal fhould not lie to a fuperior Court, or thole Jud- ges be accountable to Ibnie fuperior Power for their Condu(ft ? Without fuch Awe, and without fuch Reftriition, there are Tio Hopes of retraining the Executive Powers of Government from degene- rating into Oppreffion and Tyranny.
In the Courts at Weftminjhr Juries, inform'd by the Judge, determine ; but here interellcd Perfons often, by Collufion, judge without any Regard to Law or Juftice, fo that their Deciiions are become a Matter of Scorn and Contempt, even among the Populace, and the very Rubble. A Power of this Kind, conftituted to judge without Appeal, forms a Tyranny fcarce to be equall'd under the mofl bar- barous Governments. If, in this Court, Juries were impannel'd to try Caufcs, and judge of Meum and Tiamj^ in private Affairs, as well as criminal and publick, there might be fome Profpecff of havin^T Juftice done : But, now, all Things are carried by Nuniber of Nofes, inftcad of Law, or Juftice. Scandalous Authority !
The Ellablifl^ing this Complication of Folly, Stupidity, Oppreffion and Tyranny, is fdved over with the fpccious Pretence of conffituting a Power to determine Difputes in a fnm??jary Way. * Sum- mary Methods of determining Controverfies, and fliort Decifions are beff, provided that, inlfead of eftablilliing Riglit and Jullice, they do not naturallv tend to pervert it, and make the Remedy worle than the Difcafe, v/hich is, here, apparently the Cafe. There ought to be, in this Court, either
* ()mn!u nahi c>:i»ipla boms inidis ottafunt. S/. LLUsr.
Trials
{ 54)
Trials by Juries, an Appeal to a fupcrior Court, or PuniOinient for fcandalous and corrupt Proceedings ; but Iiere is neither j all is tranfadted without Awe, without Reftraint, and is unlimited Iniquity and Op- prellion, impudent and audacious from a Confciouf- nefs of Impunity.
His prefent Majefty is a Prince of the mofl ex- tenfive Learning, consummate Knowledge, perfed: Integrity, gracious Difpofition and Humanity, of any Prince in Europe^ or the World ; and did he know the Tyranny you are expos'd to, and the Op- preffions you groan under, I doubt not but his Royal Heart would be touch'd with Grief and Compaffion ; and he would exert himfelf to redrefs your Grievan- ces * : But it is not to be expedted that he is ac- quainted with all the lefTer Wheels of Government ; *tis therefore, my Countrymen, from yourfelves Re- drefs muft iffue. It is true. King Alfred was famous for deftroying all the Wolves in this Kingdom, and hanging up 40 corrupt Judges in one Year ; if his prefent Majefty would exert the fame Authority
among the Juftices of the P e, I am inclined to
think, next Quarter-Seflions we fliould have very thin Benches thro'out the Kingdom ; and that we fhould eftablifli a hanging Epocfja^ as famous as the Hegira or Olympiads. Extraordinary Crimes re- quire extraordinary Methods of Punifhment -, but that Anti-conftitutional Schemes fhould be introdu- ced in common, private, and civil Affairs, is a Mat- ter of Lamentaition and Grief, as well as of Satyr I and Reprehenfion.
* Rex non fac'u injuriam, fays Bracton : The King can do no /^ Wrong. P
One '
i\
( 55 )
One of the greateft Securities of our Liberties and Properties is the Inftitutlon of * Juries fworn to do Juftice between King and Subjed, Party and Par- ty. Wherever an abfolute Power is lodged, and continually uding, whether in one Man, or any Number of Men, who are under ftrong Tempta- tions to be bias'd, and from whofe Determinations, right or wrong, there is no Appeal, from fuch a Power great Danger is to be apprehended to Judice and Equity.
From hence, I cannot but look upon the Power of the Quarter-Sefiions, of late, a Determination of Property, by CommilTioners of Exciie, Cuftoms, and Land-Tax j as well as the great Increafe of tlic Power and Authority of Juftices of the Peace, by making them the final RelTort, and prohibiting Ccr- tiorari'Sy to be Incroachments upon our Liberties, Innovations in our Conlfitution, and Breaches of the fundamental Laws of our antient Form of Govern- ment, which was always accuftom'd to Trials by yiiries.
I'r is true, we have no Occafion to fear any Inva^ fion of our Rights, and Privileges, from our prefent moft gracious Sovereign j but if ever a little and cunning, or a great and ambitious Tyrant fliould mount the Throne, fuch ^sLe^is XL or Lewis XIV. of Fra?jcc were, what may we not dread from fucli ^ Crowd of Officers and Magiftrates, chofcn by the
* 'Tis faid, they were inUfe among tlic old Britons. Upon die
Death of Brutus, after the Expulfion of the 'Tarquins, the firft Law, which was made, Lii'y tells us, was, ylitte otnr.is de proi'ccationi: nd- inrfus magijirutus c.d pcpuhir:!, A Law concerning Appealing to the People againit Magiftrutc;^, or to try Ma2,ilhatcs themltlves, or re- voke their Dstrees.
Dircc-
( 56 )
DIredion, and under the Influence, of the Crown, inveltcd with abfolutc Power by a Cart-Load of Sta- tutes, and paid an annual Salary to execute the vexa- tious and revengeful Didates of a proftitute Court, and tyrannical and cruel Prince ?
I FORESEE, it may be objeded againft what I have faid concerning the abfoiute Power of Magi Urates, &c. in Affairs relating to the publick Taxes, " That " if the Magiilrates, and OfHcers of the Revenues, " had not full Powers to determine Difputes and " Controverfies, v^'hich arife about Taxes, Excifes, *' and Impoils, and to punifli Frauds committed j " and that if fuch Trials were left to the Verdid *' of Juries, the King would be defrauded of his' *' Right, the Public would be conflantly robb'd and' " cheated, and Scenes of Fraud and Abufe would " be carried on and perfeded with Impudence and " Impunity."
I WOULD beg Leave to anfwer here : Suppofe^ the woril that can be the Confequence, and that Frauds would be often committed, and pafs unpu- nifli'd J in this Cafe, it is the People mull fufFer in the End : To transfer the Lofs from them, and lay, the King mufl lofe by it, is a mere Illufion and] Mockery, calculated to amufe and deceive the Un-j wary and Unthinking. If there are Breaches of the] Laws, and Frauds committed with refJDed to the] Revenues, which efcape due Punifliment j fo there] are alfo in criminal Cafes : The fame Arguments ' may be brought, v/ith equal Force agunft Trials by Juries in fuch Cafes.
But as it is the People who muft fufFer, and not the King, from unjuft Verdids ; fo thofe very Per- fons, who pronounce a Delinquent innocent, when
an
i
(57) an Af^>ir is doubtful, or would mitigate a Fine j I fay, thofc very Perfons mud bear a Share of the Lofs, and ibffcr by a too favourable Verdiifl, or a too mild Conftrudtion of the Law : And, therefore there is little Probability of Junts not doing Jullice to their Country.
But Servants of tiie Crown are Parties con- ccrn'd i and, further, may fear being difchargcd, if tliey fiiould /liew Lenity to Delinquents, in the Exe- cution of their Office. Suppofe a Fraud was to efcape due Severity, whether it were to be by Fine, Impnlonment, or corporal Punilliment ; is it not more eligible that a Criminal fliould efcape his De- merits, and illude the Force of the Law, than that a wnole People fhould be iubjed to a grievous Ty- ranny, or that innocent Men fhould fuffer by the Partiality of bias'd and corrupt Judges ? A Lofs might be borne by Ten Millions of People with Eafe, which would ruin a private Man, tho' he were opulent. If there be any Deficiency in Taxes in one Shape, tlicy mufl be rais'd in another.
Arbitraky Decifions are much more grievous to a free People, than heavy Taxes accompanied with the Pride, Arrogance, and Partiality of Fe/Iow- Liti-zcm, exerted in the Levying them. A Mulfl ot the Pocket is not half fo aiHiding as the Exulta- tions and Triumphs of a revengeful Enemy, who has gratified his Spleen and Animofity, by an une- qual and cruel Taxation of the Man whom he hates : And, what adds to the Tyranny, there is no Appeal from fuch a Judge, nor any Challenge to be made, asm Cafes of Trials by Juries.
If Juries were to be impannel'd out of the Men of Property in every Town, ^c. not fubjedl to the
I Excife,
{ 58) Excife, ^c. Laws, and Juflices of Peace were to explain the Laws, and lit as Judges, if capable, every Difpute and Caufe might be try'd at a very fmall Expence, and with much more Impartiality and Jaftice than now. If you fuppofe the Juftices are, generally, fuch Dunces, that they are incapable of explaining the Laws, I would afk, how then are they qualified to give arbitrary Judgment on them now ? From this Decifion an Appeal might lie to the Quarter-Sellions, and from thence to the King's- Bench, with the lame Securities, the flime Reftric- tions, and the fame Salaries as in Demnark.
In this Scheme we have a Method of punif]>ing Delinquents, without running the Hazard of fuiter- ing fuch Innovations in our Conftitution, and In- croachments on our Liberties, in order to raife Taxes, ^c, as tend to rob us of all our Privileges, and leave IK under a worfe Tyranny than either the T^urks or T>anei. The large Powers given, of late, to Juflices of the Peace, and Revenue- Officers, ^c. are abfo- lutely anti-conftitutional, advance towards a general Tyranny, form an OUgarcbia^ or Tyranny of the Rich over the Poorer, and ought to be aboliili'd with all Speed. If a Juftice cannot compromife a Difpute of any Kind, let a Jury be impannel'd to try the Caufe : It is better that a few Knaves lliould go unpunilli^d, than a whole People Ihould be ex- pofed to the Danger of loling their Liberties and Properties, and being made abfolute Slaves.
Thus, my Countrymen, I have made it appear to you, that your antient Form of Government is trampled upon ; that you are under a Tyranny un- known to moft Nations in the World \ that your Rights and Privileges are invaded ^ and that your
Judges
t 59 )
Judges have Power to opprefs you in the Affair of the Land-Tax, as well as in many other Cafes ; ami that, oftentimes, it is their Interell: fo to do. I have ' proved to you, that pd (o much as they lay extraor- dinary on your Shoulders, they may take off from their own j and tliat they may carry their pernicious Injuftice and Avarice fo far, as to load you with all the Land-Tax of this Kingdom, and pay Nothing themfclves. "V'ou have no Court of Aides to fly to for Relief; no, tliofe infolent Oppreffors, thoie ra- venous Wolves, thofe rapacious Balhaws, are the Dtrnicrc RcJJort of a Free Briton.
Forgive me, my dear Countrymen, if I am a httle warm *, if my Indignation be a little railed on your Behalf. Solomon lays, Opprefjion ii-i/l vidke a 'nufe Mdn mad; no Wonder then, if a Man, of but common Humanity, lliould have his Detef- .tation and Abhorrence routed by fuch glaring Images of Tyranny. If you appeal, when wrong'd and opprefs'd, who is to be your Judge ? Why, the very Wretch who is to thrive by your Ruin, and grow opulent by beggaring you^ the poor Appellant, Monrtrous, unparallel'd Oppreflion ! The Tyran- nies of the Eaji fcarce yield any fuch Examples. Who that hears of thefe Tranfadions, that takes a View of thefe Scenes of Iniquity and Oppreflion, and has a Spark of Love for his Country, for Liber- ty, for Juftice, for Mankind, can help fetching a deep Sigh ?
I KNOW 1 Freeholder y who has been infulted, with the Acknowledgment of a Comtnijjioner^ to his Face,
• Cogit eNtm cxcediic propojiti formam opcnt erumpcnt anifr.o et pec- tore inJi*natio. Faterculus.
1 2 that
( 6o )
that he did not pay above ] to the Pound (Land- Tax) of what the Freeholder paid j and yet the very fame Commiffioncr afterwards refufed to lower him, when theFreeholder appeal'd againft a Commiliioner, who did not pay above ^- of what the Freeholder paid. What a Scandal is it to the very Name of Li- berty, that fuch a Power of Oppreffion lliould be lodged in the Hands of any Set or ^ody of Men ? What Temptation does fuch a Power lay a Hapdful of Men under to grind and opprcfs vaft Multitudes of their Fellow-Citizens, and Freeholders in this Nation ? But how, my Countrymen, can you be faid to be free, when fo many Tyrants have a Power to lord it over you, and rob you of your Patrimony ; or of what was purchafed by your Toil, and the Sweat of your Brows ? I have often heard of, and feen, fuch Tyrannies, as I have defcribed, exercifed towards you, my poor fuffering CQuntrymen^ which have highly raifed my Indignation and Concern.
In France^ an Appeal lies from an unjuft Affeflbr to the Elccis, from the Ele6ls to the Court of Aides» In Denmark J as I have told you, at a fmall Expence you may carry fuch an Affair to the High-right^ the fupreme Tribunal, compofed of all the Nobility of the Kingdom, who pay a moft facred Reverence to Juftice : But, in England ^ a Commiffioncr is AfTef- Ibr, Coiledtor, £/?/, Court of Aides ^ Supreme Tri- bunal, &c. In Ihort, every Thing necefTary to con- ftitute an infolent OpprelTor, and with every Induce- ment to form a Thief, and a Robber, from whofe Tribunal there is no Appeal. BlclTed Government ! Righteous Authority truly ! He is deeply interefted to eafe himfelf, his Tenants, his Creatures, his De- pendants 3 and his uncontrolable Power furnilhes him
with
(6i )
I with Opportunities of loading his Neighbours with ' cruel Burdens, and oppr^Ifing everyone^ who diidains J to be the Tool of his Spleen, the Inlirument of his Revenge, a fervile Aficntator of his Palhons, or a couchant Sycophant truckling to his Humour, and doing flomagc to his Pride and Vanity. Has a Turkijh Boflm-w more Power over a Chriilian Slave ? ; Suppose, now, fuch an abfolute Power was given to the Nobility of this Kingdom to tax and op^prcfs all the Gentry who have no Right to fit in the Houfc Df Lords, and who have an Mate of above ico/. Vr 4nmim : Suppofc it was in the Power of that I'Jguft Affembly to lay a Tax of 4 j. in the Pound ipoji all the Ellates of the Gentry, in order to raife particular Sum for his Majefly/ which Tax would 'reduce the faid Sum at 2 s. 'in the Pound, if the 'Mobility would pay their %^/^, or 2 s. in the Pound :)r tbar own Eifates likewile ; but it being left a Matter of meer Difcretion, they ufe their Amhority 0 advance their own Intereft, and pay but i ^, in le Pound, and load the Gentry with a Tax of *-> s, \d. in the Pound; Pray, if this were the Cafe' 'hat would the Gentry, or rich Commons of this -ingdom, think of fuch a Law ? There would be ^thing but Roaring-out, Exclamation, and Bellow- g againfl fuch a Power, as the moft unjulf and iquitous. There would be bitter Complaints im- ediately, that the Nobility were Tyrants, that Li- -rty was overwhclm'd ; and to Anus, to Arms, OKi\d ring throughout the Kingdom : Then you] y Countrymen, who are now fqucczed and op- eis'd, would be npply'd to, to aliilf them in ihak- ? oft the galling Yoke of Opprcliion and Slavery.
But
( 62 )
But now, let us reflcd: a little j who are the Per-
Tons enjoying this Liberty, Juftice, and Impartiality we have jult fpoken of, in France and Denmark i Why, the Rabble, the very Canaille. And who are the Wretches fubje^ft to this OpprelTion, and arbitrary Influence in England^ Why you, my Countrymen, the Lejpr Freeholders of Great-Britain ; you, who pofTefs f * of all the Lands of this Kingdom : But it will be but a fmall Time they will continue with you, for your OppreiTors are making JVi/igi for then: to fly aivay into their own PolJeJJlon^ like an Ragle towards Heaven^
Now, I would addrefs myfelf to you, my Coun- trymen, who are Stockholders, and tax'd for your Perfonal Eftates : What a Dilemma are you often in, when you come before thefe Egyptian Tafk- niafters ? If you ad: confcientioully, and affefs equally, either the Commiilioners, or a fawning Sy- cophant of theirs, after infolent Reproofs for prefum- ing to meddle with the Eflates of Commiilioners, thofe Noli 7ne tangere's -f^ an Appeal is made, and,' in a haughty Manner, you are order'd to alter the Affeffment. If, from a flrid: Regard for JulHcq,:, you refufe to obey their unreafonable Dictates, and imperious Commands, a Part of your Cefs ihall be taken off by them from a Creature of their own^ and the very Sum, fo taken off, Ihall be iniquitouHy laid upon your own Shoulders; tho', by that un-^ righteous Addition, you, perhaps, Ihall be obliged to pay ten Times as much as your Neighbour, or their Creature, of the fame Abilities.
* See Mr. Kjng''& Calculations. -f- A Sort of Botch, or Boil, call'd fo, that won't bear touching being full of foul Humours and Corruption.
'Tis
( ^-J )
''*Ti5 troe, I believe, that this is not quite lb uni- rcffal an Evil, as the Cafe of the Landholders j be- 'aufe a cunning Junto of Commilfioncrs ni.iy con- ider fuch an Opprcllion, as a Provincial Evil in its Jonfequence ; fuch Condud naturally tending to dif- ;ull: People, and prevent Traders from fettling in iich a Dijlri&. Wherever, therefore, Opprcilions •f this laft Kind are carried on, they mufl proceed rom extreme Ignorance, as the former do always rom Injuflice and Avarice : For the great Mr. '^ocke has fliewn, with admirable Pcrlpicuity, and udgment, that in whatever Shape Taxes are bid n, they fill, at laA:, all on the Lands, if in a 'ountrv where the oreat Fund of the Nation is /and, as in this Kingdom ; and that 'tis the grcatcft 'oily to cramp, or burden. Trade. If any one Ihould obje(ft here, to what has been id, " That the Tax is commanded to be equally ullefs'd and rated upon the Lands ; fo that no Par- tiality, or Injuftice, can be ufcd towards any Man, but the Court of King's-Baich may be moved againft the Com mill ion ers, or any Officer con- cern'd ; of an Action may be brought, and the injured Party may find Redrefs ; or that he may be relieved in his Majefty's Court of Exchequer,'* iwould anfwcr.
I That, in the 77th Sedion of the Land-Tax ift, is the following remarkable Claufe. If any arjbn^ aU'eJi'dJor Lands^ pall 7Jiakc it appear^ on tthj that jucb Ajjejj'ment dotk exceed th equal ound-Rate^ which ought to be charged, he Jhall be \ated^ and the Money Jh all be rc-ajjcj^'d li'ithin the \hifw?i, altho' the Foimd-Ratc cj ^s. in the Pound \ exceeded.
Hfre
( 64 )
Here 1 beg Leave to remark, that thofe Words^ j the equal Pound-Rate ivbich ought to he charge J^cini mean no other than the 4 j. Rate ; fo that the equajj Pound-Rate appears to be the Rate of 4.5. in thsi Pound, according to this Sedion. How is it pof- lible, then, to punifh the CommifTioners, Afieflbrs, &c. by Information, or othervvife, when a Judge of the Court of King's- Bench, or a Baron of i\i^ Ex- chequer^ muft decide the Difpute according to the Letter of the Law exprefs'd in the definitive Claufe, which is diredly againft the Plaintiff, wilh refpedt to th^ Cafes I have before complained of? But, fup- pofing that my Conftru6tion be not the true Litcnt and Meaning of the A6:, what End can a Procels in any Court anfwer, when the Condud of the Affef- fors is approved by the Commiffioners, and the A6t has render'd thefe lail unaccountable, and their De- termination final ?
One Part of an Ad of Parliam.ent may juftly be deem'd explanatory of another ; from whence it ap- j pears obvious, that by the Words in Sed. 4. as much j Equality as poJjibk\ by a Pound-Rate ; and by the | Words in Sed. 8. to be equally affefs^dy and after- wards, the AlTeflbrs are required to aj/'efs by an equal Pound-Rate y that this equal Pound-Rate is the equal Pound- Rate of 45. in the Pound, which is defined in the 77th Sedion, and which the Ad prefumes, that all the Lands pay. I won't pretend to vindicate the Propriety of thefe Expreflions, and Claufes -, be- caufe, perhaps, I may think they militate with each other, are Confufion, contradidory, and Nonfenfe : But, let this be as it will, the CommifTioners, from the 77th Sedion, having defined the equal Pound- Rate to be the equal Pound-Rate of 4 s. in the
Pound,
( 65 )
Pound, upon Appeals, or Complaints of an unequal Taxation, have always prefumed to tender the Oath of Inquifnion, (as mentioned above) the Purport of which is to enquire, whether or no you pay, or are tax'd^ above the equal Pound-Rate of ^s. in the Pound, ijohich all the Lands are tax' d at by the Ail ? If this Condud of the Commillioners be contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of the A(5t, tlie vague, doubtful, and uncertain Claufes, on which it is founded, ought to be explained, the cloudy Paflages to be clear'd up, and a plain Rule of Deci- fion to be eftablilhed, that there may be no farther [loom for Error, Injuftice, and Oppreflion; and :hat the Magiftrate may be * Lex loguens, which, Fully obferves, ought to be his true Charad:er.
But, however this be, if to the aforefaid Inter* ogatory you anfwer in the Negative, this righteous Fribunal of Inquifitors will difmifs your Complaint vith Contempt and Infolence, and, perhaps, with norc Indecency and Pride than the Fathers of he Holy Office would prefume to do : Such Airs vill thefe infignificant, contemptible Worms give hemfelves, when in Authority -f-. This is a glaring nftance of the Excellency of £/z^///7^ Liberty, which vc are excited to exhauft our Treafurc, and fpill )ur Blood, in the Defence of, againll: the Incroach- nents, and arbitrary Schemes of France §,
K It
* Sluoad ejus fieri fnjfit, quamplurima legibus ipfis drfinianturf quam jucijfima i-ero Jutiicis Arbttrio relinquantur.
Arillotcl Rhetor, ad Theodect, •^ Cogit enim exccdere propoftti formam opera crumpcm anirr.o ac pn ■ \re indtgnatio . V E L . P a T £ k .
^ When the Nobility of Rome tyrannized over the fmall Frcehol- »rs, and ihcy required cJheir Atteydancc I'l War, they bravely an-.
fwcr'd
(66 )
It is^ therefore, in vain, for any one to plead, that the Ad diredts an equal AlTefTment j when, if an unequal one be made, you mufl appeal to the very Perfons, who diredled the Making it,, to know whether it be unequal or no : And the Commiffion- ers, with all other Officers concern'd in levying the Tax, are fcreen'd from Punifliment by the Words, and Explanation of the equal Tax,, being the Tax of 4 s. in the Pound •. So that thofe Sugar- Words of Equality, isi the Beginning of the Ad;, feem to- be thrown in to amufe, cover over, and fweeten,. the Gall and Bitternefs that were to come after j and to make the naufeous Pill go down glibly with the inattentive Multitude,
It is oftentimes the Cafe, that the Commiffion- ers, when they fit to judge of the Equality of an Af- lefTment,. have an Interell in,, and are to reap Ad- vantage from, declaring an AllelSnent to be equal, tho' it be never fo unequal, unjuft, and cruel. / What a monftrous Farce, then, is the Sitti?2gs of the Commiflioners of Land-Tax to hear Appeals ? They have a Power given them to rob you, my Countrymen, an Advantage to> obtain by doing it j and when they have done it, they are left to try themfelves for the Fa<3:, Fine Laws, and a fine Tribunal, truly ! What Chicanery ! and what a Mockery of Jiiftice and common Senfe this is ! This is a Shew, and a Parade of Juftice and Liberty, without any Thing of the real Eflence of it. All
fwer'd, as Lity tells us, "Negate ultra decipi plebem pojfe, nunquam unum militem habituro%, ni pra-fiaretur fides publica : Libertatem uni- cuique prius reddendum ejje, qitam arma danda, ut pro patria cinjibufque,
nonpro Dominisy pvgnent. Liv. Lib. II. Cap. 28 fio dear tbey
thought Liberty, tho' the Equi, the Voljci and Sabina, were, at this very Tiine> in Arms againft them.
Things
( 6; ) Tilings fecm to be carried on, as if Impartiality and Juflicc were to prevail, when Nothing is lefs intend- ed. And tho' thefc Commiffioners have an ablblute Power of difpofing of your Property, yet they are lot under fo much as the Obligation of an Oath to io you, my Countrymen, common Juftice -, when, ?ven in the arbitrary Kingdom of France^ the Elu'Sy md Members of tlic Court oi Aides^ take a folcmn Oath to adminilter Juftice impartially.
Another Hardship aiid Opprcfiion, that you :ie under, is, that tho' the Clioice of the Colledtor^i 3e lodged, virtually, in the Breads of tlieCommif- loners, yet the Paridi is to be anfwerable for any 3eliquidation, or Deficiency of the Monies collect- *d by them *. Is not this a moft monftrous Hard- hip, that an infolent, avaricious Commidioiier hould, by Influence with his AlTociates in Iniquity, ippoint infolvent and irreputable Pcrf<i?is^ Creatures ■f his owriy to be ColleBors^ contrary to the Senti- nents of the grave, and judicious Part of a Parilli, ^hich returns other Perlbns ; and yet if fuch Scoun- Irels become infolvent, and fink, or embezzle, the Money they have colled:ed, a Re-aileffment muft 36 made upon the Parifli to fatisfy the King ? An 'nftance of this I myfclf have known in every Par- icular. Did ever any Community cftablilh fuch an )ppreilive, ridiculous Law before ?
What a fine Field has this Law open'd forlm- ■>ofition and Fraud ? By Collufion between infolvent Fools, and rafcally CommifTioners, a Parifli may be lefrauded and robb'd, and the broken Collectors, md CommifFioners, go Snacks in the Plunder. This
* See the 1 5th Scdiou of the Aft.
K 2 was
( 68 )
was the Cafe, for any Thing I know, in the Inflancc I mentioned above j for, I believe, a certain Com-, millioner and Collector were bafe and wicked' enough to concert and execute fuch a Piece of Villa- ny. Now, in France, it is impoffible any fuch Scheme fhould be carried on, or executed. The Inhabitants of every Town there *, as they chufe AlTefTors and Collectors of the Taxes for their re- fpedive Diftrids, by the Majority of their Suffrages, will always take Care to chufe fuch as are Men of Integrity, Probity and Worth, and fuch as are refponfible for the Property they are intruded with.
It is not Taxes, my Countrymen, that we ought to complain of; no Country was ever free from them, or Public fupported without them. Our com- mon Security cannot be maintained without Money, which is juftly ftiled the Sinews of War ; and with- out War it is impoffible to curb the Infolence and Ambition of our incroaching Neighbours : But where Injuftice and Inequality have been indulged, and connived at, in their Aflellment, there they have been juif ly odious and deteftable. The fatal Confe- quence of this cruel Partiality, and Oppreffion of the Commonalty by the Gentry in 'Denmark, ought always to be a Warning, how the Rich and Opulent fqueeze and opprefs the People of Property, of meaner Conditions -f*. Rigorous Oppreffion produces Rage and Defpair, and thefe hurry a People into defperate Mealiires, put them on the Forlorn, and induce them to apply to any Alternative for a Relief;
* Les Jfjj'ecurs font e!us et nommcz, par la pluralite de I'oix, ct/nf- ' fi't^gii des hahhuiis — Les dits ColUdeurs font ere atiKuellcnicnt par la •VQix et fiomiitatioji des Inhcbitavs dcs iiilUs et paroiffcs.
GiRARD, 343, Prefent Siutc of /'/•««r<'. f See my Lord Molef'vcQrth^ Account.
conceiv-
( 69 )
V onceiving, that It is impoffiblc their Condition fhould be worfe.
When the Republic of Florence was preparing for a War with the Lord of Lombards^ their Gentry fcils'd Soldier.-, and laid new Taxes upon the People, which lying more heavily on the Commo?2s^ than upon the better Sort of Citizens^ fill'd the City witli Com- plaints, all People crying out of the OpprelTion of the great Menj who, to fatiate their Ambition, and enlarge their Authority, had engag'd in an ejf-
penfive and unneceffiry War. The People were
inccns'd, and rail'd up and down the Streets, up- braiding them with the great Taxes, and the Imper- tinence of the War. But however, to carry it on, they chofe Twenty Commiflioners out of the Lcller Citizens ; who finding the cliief Citizens low, and deprefs'd with a late Overthrow, overlaid them with Taxes, and opprefs'd them exceedingly, fays Machi- (zvel. This was but Lex 'lalioiiis ; and, doubtlefs, they were glad of an Opportunity to be revenged, if it were really fo, as he has infinuated. But, J think, 'twas or:ly in their own Opinion that they were ex- ceedingly opprcfs'd ; for he goes on afterwards :
" Tlicfe Impofitions difgufted the Gentry very *' much ; yet at firft. In Point of Honour, they " thought it beneath them to complain of their own ** private Ufage ; only they blamed the Taxes in " general, and prcfs'd to have them abated ; bcins; " publickly known, it was publickly oppo^'d, and " f(^ far negleded In the Councils, that, to make " them fenfible how ditHcult a Matter they had un- " dertakcn, and to render them odious to tiie People, " Order was given, that the Taxes ihould be colicdt- *' ed with all Stridtnefs and Severity ; and, in cafe of
y Oppo-
( 7°)
" Oppofition, it fhould be lawful to kill him, who " refilled an Officer : Whereupon, many fad Acci- " dents enfued among the Citizens ; many being '' wounded, and not a few flain ; fo that, it was be- " lieved, the Parties would have proceeded to Blood ; " and every ibber Man apprehended Ibme Mifchief ** at hand. The Grandees, halving been accuftom''d "to be favour df could not endure that Stri^nefs ; ^^ and the others thought it but jujl to have all tax'd " proportionablyT
Here we may obferve, how avaricious, unjufl, and unreafonable the Kick generally are -, and how urgent to opprefs, and difgufted if they cannot load, their poor Neighbours with unequal Shares of Taxes, and the Burdens of the State. Such an Averfion thefe Gentry had to Juftice and Equality, and-fuch a Fondnefs for their old Prerogative of Tyranny and OpprefTion, that they were ready to proceed to Blood, and cut the Throats of their poor Neigh- bours, who had funk almofl all their * EJlates in faying T'axeSy rather than fubmit to an equal Taxa- tion. But this has always been the curfed Spirit of the Richj which, doubtlefs, occafion'd that Obfer- vation of our Saviour's, " That it is eafier for a " Camel to go thro' the Eye of a Needle, than for " a Rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of Hea- " ven ;" a Place quite unfit for, and where, I am afraid, many Commiffioners of the Land-Tax will never appear, unlefs it be to receive their curfed Doom.
What makes Taxes hateful to the Commonalty, is the Inequality of their AffelTment, and the wrong Application of them, when raifed. The Middling
* See Macbia-vel's Hiftory of Florence.
People
(7' )
People always chearfully acquiefce in them, provided they are laid on equally, not rais'd without Neceflity, and apply'd to the Ufes for which they were appropri- ated. But the avaricious Rich are always exclaiming againft them, and trying all Shifts, ufing all Artiticcs, to wriggle themfelves out of the Payment of them, and to load their poor Neighbours, the Middling People, with the whole Weight of the State > not- withftanding a large Share of the Money, arifing from Taxes, reverts again into the Pockets of the Gentry for executing, or preliding in. Ports or Otii- ces, which are mere Sine-Cures^ where there is little or nothing to be done for their Salaries : And thus the Middling People are conftantly drained to fill their Coffers, or fupply their Luxuries. And what are all our Party- Struggles among the Richj but Contefls about who ihall have theDivilion, and the Dividends of the Prey raifed, by Taxes, on the Middling and Common People ?
Our Sovereign has but Meat, Drink, and Claith?, which cannot amount to any more than a Trifle, in Comparifon of the Civil Lift Revenue. Who is it, then, that confumes 900,000/. per Annmn^ which arifes from it t Why, the Harpies who furround him ; and who are always forming Schemes to pre- vent their being obliged to difgorge any Part of the Pelf in Taxes, which they filch from the Crown, or any Ways get into their Clutches. This, perhaps, is a Misfortune wliich has attended almoft all Govern- ments at all Times, and a Redrefs of it is not to be expeded.
However, upon the Whole, I believe, my Countrymen, that wc have a wife and gracious Prince upon the Throne ; and as honell, frugal, and
paidcnt
J^J^J C f f
r T / r f f t T r f r t f r f r c • I r r r r t f
1 r r c f ff f _f r r t f f
f « 4 f • •«•!««§ <Vi I i a
« ■ tji^* -•.•_•_•« • •-•-■'i I.I 11
( 72 ) prudent a Miniftry, who manage all the Revenues to • as great Advantage, as any we have had in Times paft 5 and to much greater than many of their Pre- decellors have done : And, therefore, we have No- thing extraordinary to complain of, but the curfed Infolence and Tyranny ufed by our Fellow- Citizens in Raifmg the Revenues, and the Laws which have conllituted their Power j Power, which ought totally to be aboiilh'd j Infolence, which calls aloud for a Bridle ; and Tyranny and Defpotifm, which ought to be banilh'd out of die Univerfe -, for, where thefe arc, Mifery mull be, and Slavery mull follow.
But, thoroughly to difcover the Bafencfs and Meannefs of the Gentry of this Kingdom, in break- ing through the Conllitution, and throwing down the Fences of Liberty, in order to eafe themfelves, and evade paying their ^lota of the Taxes laid on their Country -, and to evince how little Reafon they have to be uneafy with bearing their Proportion of the National Burden, which is laid on Lands ; we will, firft, confider how the Cafe flands with thefe fliifting Oppreflbrs, and then compare it with the Situation of the Dutchy and the Landholders of fome of our neighbouring Countries.
As we faid before, we have good Reafon to be- lieve the Rental of this Kingdom amounts to near 20,000,000 /. per Annum ; if fo, we have made it appear, in Page 29, that the Lands do not pay, on an Average, above 21 d.j in the Pound, when the Tax is at 4 s. in the Pound. But as theCommif- iioners manage it, being link'd together fworn Bre- thren in Iniquity, we may prefume, on an Average, that they do not pay above half what their Neigh- bours
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bours do j fo that, of Courfe, they do not pay above 1 1 d. in the Pound, when the Land-Tax is at 4 s. in the Pound.
Let us, firft then, cart: our Eyes on the unhappy Condition of the Dutch Landholders. Mr. Locke iiiys, " The public Charge of the Government is, *' 'tis iiiid, in the United Provinces, laid upon '* Trade ; I grant it is, the greatefb Part of it ; " but is the Lajid excufcd, or eafed, by it ? By no *' means, but, on the contrary, fo loaded, that in ma- ** ny Places {-, in others |, in others an \ of the yearly *' Value does not come into the Owner's Pocket : " And, if I am not mifinform'd, the Land will not, *' in fome Places, pay the Taxes j fo that we may " fay, the Charge of the Government came not upon ** Commodities, 'till the Lands could not bear it." *
•j- Mr. B ur r ifi hySj in that Quarter oi Holland, call'd Rljinelandj Land is charg'd near 9 s. per Acre Taxes j and that it is Hill higher in North-Holland, where he has known Proprietors, that would have been glad to make a Surrendry of their Lands, fituate in that Part of the Province, to anyPerfon that would take them off their Hands, or abandon them entire- ly, if the State would permit it.
§ The noble Lord, I mentioned but jurt: now, fays, — '' In Procefs of Time, Excefs of Power made " the Danijh Gentry grow infolent, which was the " Occafion of their Fall, together with the Liberties ** of the whole Country," (for, you mull note, they refufed to pay any greater Share af the Taxes than
* See Mr. Locke'-:, Coiifiderations of lo'.vering of Intcrcft, anj ra'ifing the Value of Money, p. 96.
f See Batafia iUufirnta, p. 252. . ^ Sec Accouot of Da.mark, p. ^c, .
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prudent a Mlniftiy, who manage all the Revenues io ■ as great Advantage, as any wc have had in Times paft ; and to much greater than many of their Pre- decelTors have done : And, therefore, we have No- thing extraordinary to complain of, but the curfed Infolence and Tyranny ufed by our Fellow- Citizens in Railing the Revenues, and the Laws which have conllituted their Power ; Power, w^hlch ought totally to be abolilh'd ; Infolence, which calls aloud for a Bridle; and Tyranny and Defpotifm, which ought to be banilh'd out of the Univerfe ; for, where thefe are, Mifery mull be, and Slavery mull follow.
But, thoroughly to difcover the Bafenefs and Meanneis of the Gentry of this Kingdom, in break- ins: through the Conltitution, and throwing down the Fences of Liberty, in order to cafe themfelves, and evade paying their ^lota of the Taxes laid on their Country ; and to evince how little Reafon they have to be uneafy with bearing their Proportion of the National Burden, which is laid on Lands ; we will, firft, confider how the Cafe ftands with thefe fliifting Oppreffors, and then compare it with the Situation of the DutcL\ and the Landholders of lome of our neighbouring Countries.
As we faid before, we have good Reafon to be- lieve the Rental of this Kingdom amounts to near 20,000,000 /. per Annum ; if fo, we have made it appear, in Page 29, that the Lands do not pay, on an Average, above 21 d.\ in the Pound, when the Tax is at 4 s. in the Pound. But as theCommif- fioners manage it, being link'd together fworn Bre- thren in Iniquity, we may prefume, on an Average, that they do not pay above half what their Neigh- bours
I
(73 ) boars do j fo that, of Courfe, they do not pay above 1 1 d. in the Pound, when tlie Land-Tax is at 4^. in the Pound.
Let us, firft then, cafl: our Eyes on the unhappy Condition of the Dutch Landholders. Mr. Locke lays, " The public Charge of the Government is, *' 'tis fliid, in the United Provinces, laid upon " Trade ; I grant it is, the greatefl: Part of it -, " but is the Laiid excufed, or eafed, by it ? By no *' means, but, on the contrary, fo loaded, that in ma- *' ny Places !-, in others {, in others an \ of the yearly *' Value does not come into the Owner's Pocket : " And, if I am not mifinform'd, the Land will not, *' in fome Places, pay the Taxes 3 fo that we may " fay, the Charge of the Government came not upon *' Commodities, 'till the Lands could not bear it." *
•j- Mr. BurriJJj (\xySy in that Quarter o'i Holland ^ call'd Rbhielaudj Land is charg'd near 9 s. per Acre Taxes j and that it is Hill higher in North-Holland, where he has known Proprietors, that would have been glad to make a Surrendry of their Lands, fituate in that Part of the Province, to anyPerfon that would take them off their Hands, or abandon them entire- ly, if the State would permit it.
§ The noble Lord, I mentioned but juft now, fiys, — " In Procefs of Time, Excefs of Power made " the Danijh Gentry grow infolent, which was the " Occafion of their Fall, together with the Liberties *' of the whole Country," (for, you mull note, they refulbd to pay any greater Share of the Taxes than
* See Mr. Locke'-i Confiderations of levering of Intcrcrt, and raifing the Value of Money, />. 96. f See Bat(tv;a i//i(Jir/ita, p. 252.
, ^ Sec Accouot of DiimarK, p. ^c. .
L thcv
(74) they thought proper, and kid the Burden oii' the: Leiler Citizens, Traders, and Leffer Freeholders, if any there were, jufl: like owvficelUng Bafjaivs of the Land-Tax) " fo that, now, they are funk to a very " low Condition, and diminilh daily both in Num- " bers and Credit, their Eftates fcarce paying the *' Taxes impofed on them. Nay, I have been aifu- *' red by fome Gendemen of good Repute, who, " formerly, were Mafters of great Eifates, that they " have ofter'd to make an abfolute Surrender to the *' King of their large PofTefhons in the Ifland of Zea- ^' la?idy rather than pay the Taxes; which Oifer, " when prefs'd with Earneflnefs, would, by no- " Means, be accepted,
" Upon farther Enquiry into the Reafon of it, I " have been inform'd, that Eftates, belonging tO' " thofe Gentlemen who made this Offer, lying in " other Places,, which had the good Fortune to be ** tax'd lefs than the foil Value of the Income, were *' liable to pay the Taxes of any other Eftate ap- " pertaining to the fame Perfon, in cafe that other *' Eflate was not able ; fo that fome have been feen, '* with a great deal of JxDy, declaring, That the Kifig '^ had been fo gracious as to take Eftates from them.
It is natural to enquire, what brought thefe Geti- try intathis wretched Condition ? And, here, it mufl: be anfwered, the very Things, which we have been complaining of in this Letter j their Pride and Info- lence 3 their reflifing to bear a proportionable Share of the Taxes ; and their Attempt to throw the Weight of the National Burden upon theLefferFree- Mders, Tradefmen, Burghers, and Citizens. How much more happy is the Situation of our Gentry, who, uf on an equal Footing with the Lefler Land-
holderSj
( 75 )
iidders, would not pay above 21 d. !- to the Pound? And yet they cannot be Tatistied, without laying the chief Part of the Burden on their weakerNeighbours. '*The Commonalty, at all Times, have been ready to bear a proportionable Share of the Burdens of the refpective Governments they have lived under. 'Tis theGreat and Rich,who are always lilhing forSchemes to withdraw their Shoulders from the Weight of the State ; and are ftill endeavouring, to eafe them-
* Gcrtnany is the Place of the whole World, where the Footfteps of the old /Jo/«rt/.' Virtue arc conlpicuous ; and that Fidelity is the Caufe why fo many Cities live happily in Liberty; for they arc fo careful and llKdious of their Laws, that That very one Thing keeps them from Servitude, and being over-run by their Enemies; and if any Inilance be defired of this, more than ordinary. Probity in the (■t.rinaiu, I fliall produce one.
It is the C'ullom in thofe States, when they have Qccafion of Mo- rcy upon the Public's Account, for the Councils, or Magillrates in Authority, to lay a Tax of One or Two per Ccvt. upon all the Inha- bitants under their Jurii'diclion, according to their refpeclivc Kilatcs. At the Day and Place appointed for Payment, every Man appears with his Money, and having taken his Oath firft, that the Sum he pays is according to the fall of his Eftate, he throws it into a Cheft provided for that Porpofe, and no Notice is taken of what it is that he throws in ; from whence we may conclude, that there arc Hill Tome Sparks left, in that People, of their old Ingenuity and Religion : Nor is it CO be doubted but every Man pays his Due ; for, otherwifc, the Sum would not amoant to the Impofition, nor to what they for- merly paid ; whereby the Fraud would be difcovercd, and they be- come liable to a new Tax ; which Integrity and Jullice is the more admirable in our Days, becaufc it is to be found no where but in Qcrmany. One of tlie Reafons ^lachlavd renders for this, is, be- caufc they have fcarce any Gentlemen among them ; but thole few they have arc very odious to the People, the Fountain of their Luxu- ry, and the Occaiion of their Scandal ; and, whenever they fall into the Hands of the People for their Corruptionr, they are put to Death without Mercy : By n Qcntlanan^ he means, thofe ijcho lii'e idly <.vtH plentifully upon their Ejlates, ■li.ithoiit ei>:y Care or Employmer.t .
M.\cHiAvti,'s Difc. B.I. c. 94. Let all the CommilTioners of tjic Land-Tax of this Kingdom read TJiis and blufli,if ihey have any ModcUy, any Scnic of \ irtuc, left
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( 77 )
and the Gracchi ivcidd ha^jc introduced the ^rarian LaivSy they dej ended them ivfthjuch Zeal^ tht they chofe rather to put the Common-wealth into oFlame^ than part ivith them quickly.
Vejieias Patercidus beautifully paints the Cilami- ties which flovv'd from this Source, when he dicribes the Fray which was occalioned by TiberiuGrac- chus's Attempt to put tlie Jlgrarian Laws im^orce. The Roman Gentry being terribly enrag'd, fr fear they ihould \o{k: their Pollefhons, decently kock'd out Gracchiis\ Brains i upon which Fatercuh fays, Isfiigiens decurrenjq-^ cli-vo CapitoUno fragmin j'uh- jcdii iBus '■citam^ qiiam glorlojijjime degk^re fcuerat immatiira jnorte Jinivit, *Hoc t?iitiufn in aroelonri civilis fanguinis gladiorumq\ impunitatisfnit, hide jus vi obrutum^ potentiorq; habitus prior, L. L c. 8. This was the Beginning of the Effufion of Bled in civil Contentions, and the iirll Example of anllTif- fination which pafs'd with Impunity. Kence^orce and Violence prevail'd over Juflice and Equity and the mod powerful was elteem'd the mofl: defering. If the Nobility of Rome could renounce, )r, at leall, neglect, empty Titles and Honours, riiifucli Rifques, and drive Things to fuch Extremity, ither 'van part with the Exuberance of their Eftates and ^rfiuities of their Fortunes, how muchTiorc you, my Count rvmen^ to roufe up, and xert, Ives in Defence of your Liberties, Proprties, lilegcs ; Properties necellary to your Luig^ *egcs requifite to make that Being hopy ; have been fo craftily and .licly
'1 ribunc, wa? ai'aflinatcd privately, at Is own ivance of the Senate, long before this.
PlJeLixx, B. II. Ca- ^^.
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(76 )
felves, and load their Fellow-Citizens, of meaner Condition, with cruel Burdens, not to be borne.
Let our Miniftry take Care of our Commerce ; by that procure Employment for our Poor, Trade for our Manufidurers j and provide Security for the Navigation of our Merchants, the only Means to ad- vance the \^alue of our Lands ; and we will chear- fully pay any Taxes requillte to fupport the Dignity and Grandeur of our Monarch ; to fecure to his Fa- mily the everlafling PolTeflion of the Throne of theie Realms j and, to us, the Enjoyment of our Liberties and Properties : Provided, at the fame Time, Care be taken to raife them with Juftice and Equality.
That great Politician, Machiavel^ fays. That the Difcords and Enmity between the Senate and People of Rome conduced to the Enlargement of their Empire, and the Confervation of their Liberty, by giving an Opportunity for making fuch Laws as were great Corroborations to their Liberties and Free- dom. Forfo great was the Avibiticn of the Nobili- ty, that, had it not been checked feveral Ways, it would have ujurfd upon the City, and got the "whole Power into its Hands. And, if we obferve, the Agrarian Difpute was 300 Years together in Rome, before it could fubvert it, we may eafily imagine, the Ambition of the Patricians would have do?ie it 7nuch foojier , had it not been balanced and deprefs'd, by the People, with thefe Agrarian Laws, and fome other Inventions. From whence, likewife, we may obferve, that Wealth is more eftimable among Men than Honour ; for when the Patricii were in Contro- verfy about Titles and Honours, they never went jo high as to give them any extraordinary Difguji : But when their EJiates and Fortunes were at Stake, ■ ■ - and
( 77 ) 11 f?^ f be Gracchi ivould have introduced the Agrarian ■LmoSy they defended thcvi liith juch Zeal^ that they chofe rather to put the Common-iuealth into a Flame^ than fart with them quickly.
Velleius Paterculus beautifully paints the Gilaini- tics which Hovv'd from this Source, when he dclciibes the Fray which was occafioncd by Tibcj-ius Grac- chus's Attempt to put the Agrarian Laws in Force. T]]c Roman Gentry being terribly enrag'd, for fear they iliould lofe their PolTellions, decently knock'd out Gracchus's Brains j upon which Paterculus fays, Isfugiens decurrenlq; clivo Capitolino fragmine jub- jctlii iBui "vitatn^ quam gloriojijjime degQre fotuerat immatura inortejinivit. *Hoc initium in urbe Roma ci'vilis fanguinis gladiorumq-, impunitatisfuit, Inde jus "oi obrutum^ potcntiorq; habitus prior, L. II. c. 8. This was the Beginning of the EfFufion of Blood in civil Contentions, and the firft Example of an h^iii- fination which pafs'd with Impunity. Kence Force and Violence prevail'd over Juflice and Equity ; and the moil powerful was cfteem'd the moll deferving.
If the Nobility of Rome could renounce, or, at lead:, neglect, empty Titles and Honours, ruo fuch Rifques, and drive Things to fuch Extremity, rather than part with the Exuberance of their Eftates, and Superfluities of their Fortunes, how much more ought you, my Countrymen, to roufe up, and exert, yourfelves in Defence of your Liberties, Pro}>erties, and Privileges ; Properties necellary to your Beings and Privileges requilite to make that Being happy ; both which have been fo craftily and balcly
* (xitiutius, the Tribune, was aflafllnatcd privately, at liis own ) louio, by the Contrivance of the ticnate, long before thi.u
FiJt Li\x, B. II. Ct^p t;4.
riviHi d
(7B ) ravifli'd from yon, by thofe very Traitors who were chofen, formerly, to be the Bulwarks and Guardians of them ?
Machiavel fiys ahb, " The Commonwealth ^' of F/or^i'za' might have continued quiet and liap- " py, had the Great Men been contented to have *' fram'd themfelves to fuch Modeily of Converfa- " tion as is requilite in a civil Government. But their ** Pradtices were quite contrary ; when they were *' but private Perfons, no Body was good enough to " be their Companions, and, being in Office, fcarcg " a?2y too good to be their SiibjeBs, every Day pro- " ducing Inftances of their Arrogance and Pride ; " infomuch that the People were exceedingly troub- " led to confider with what Impatience and Fury " they had removed 07ie T^yrant^ to make Koomfor a ^^ Thoufmid : In this Manner ftood Things." Pray give me Leave, my Countrymen^ to afk you, whether thefe very Confequences are not the bleffed Effed:s of the Revolution, with refped; to yourfelves ? You, bravely expell'd one Tyrant, and to carry on a War, to continue his Expulfion, you fuffer'd Laws to be made, and continued, by your Delegates, which have conftituted 10,000 petty Tyrants in his Room, who daily devour your Properties, and infult your Perfons, with all the Pride and Arrogance that Ma- chiavel complains of in the Great and Rich Men of Florence. But it may be worthy of your Refledion to confider, whether it is not a more glorious Fate, and a lefs cruel one, to be torn to Pieces by a Lion^ than to be, leifurely, gnaw'd to Death by defpicable Vermin ; tho' i: is my Advice to you to \ht\w your- felves Men, Britons, and guard againfl:, and dif- dain Both-, to remove the Appreheniions of either, CT nobly periili in the Attempt. I
(79 )
I TRUST, my Countrymen, that you have Souk left, certainly, as great as cowardly Italians ; I trul^ tliat your Minds arc, not yet, grown callous with Sla- very, and inrcnl^ble of the Opprcliion you lie under thro' Ufe and Curtoin. 'Tis true, in moft Countries Oppreflion produces Dejcdtion, cramps, and damps down, all the noble Emotions of the Soul, qucnclics its Vigour, and reflrains its Sallies for Glory, aixl he- roic Atchievements. The Romajis^ under the Cce/ars, were bafe, abject Sycophants ; and my Lord Molef- iDorth tells us, that the prelent Condition of the TiancSy of all Ranks, is moft deplorable j at lealt, it appear'd fo to him, who faw it, polTibly, more than they who fuffer'd it. His Words are, " Tiiat Slave- " ry, like a fickly Conllitution, grows, inTime, lo ha- " bitual, that it icems noBurden or Difeaie ; k creates " a Kind of Lazinefs, and idle Defpondency, which *' puts Men beyond Hopes and Fears : It mortifies " Ambition, Emulation, and other troublclome, as " well as adive, Qualities, which Liberty and Free- " dom beget; and, inRead of them,alTords only a dull " Kind of Pleafureof being carelels and infenfible."
I HOPE, my Countrymen, that the lame political Lethargy has not feiz'd you j tliat the Difeaie is not gone lb far as to produce a Mortification ; but that, llill, you are in the Power of the State -Phyficiaii. Courage is the peculiar Growth of our own Soil *, as vvc may fee by our Bull-Dogs and Gavie-Cocks ;
and.
* y^ng/i htilo infrtpiM, nee mortis ftnfu detcrrentur, fay fcveial c£ ;he Antimts. Vide I'cgttii dc re nulitari.
Autre que cttte uattbu intrtfuie eni'ifoge a^ic /ij'ex tC hdifftnnce, <t plus grand de tons ces mnux qui pit r Lorri ur de la Plupatt ties nutris nction. Tho' Death is the grcatcil of .ill Evils, which the Vcof le cf other Countries ftarc upon w ith Horrour. \ ct the und.iunted
( 8o ) and, I conceive, the middling People are, not yet funk below Beafls, whatever our Gentry may be How mud, then, the Fire of Liberty, and Dil'dain o) Slavery, tlifli in your Eyes r How mufl your Heart: dilate, and your PuUe riot, with the brave Emotions, and Dictates of Freedom, when you are fcornfullv afk'd hy^iMonfieiir^ where, now, is the gloried Equa- lity of Euglijh Laws ? where is the Security of your Liberties and Privileges ? what is become of your boafted Freedom r Are you not, flill, V-flils in Bon- dage to the Mighty Lords ^ the Co7n?niffioners of the Land-T'ax^ ^c. and fetter'd mere clofely to Injuftice, and dalfardly Submiffion, than we are to our more equitable £/f^'s, the Servants of our great Monarque'^ On a Fre?ichmans reading this fad Cafe, I expect to hearthofe fcornful Taunts and Gibes j^
You ought to confider, my Countrymen, that the Progrefs of Tyranny is various j fometimes it
Englijh look it in the Face with the utmoft Indifference, Says Savary in his L'Etat de Commerce.
* It may not be impertinent here, as it will fervc to illuflrate the Juftice of the y^pprehenfion, to mention Part of a Converfation be- tween a frevch Nobleman and Lord Carteret, as told by the latter ih the Houfe of Lords.
The Subject was the Excellency of our Conftitution beyond theirs, and the Foreigner declaring he faw no Difference, the Britijh Peer exprefi'd. his Surprize ; Why, Juyi the Frenchman, What Differ- ence do you make ! A great one, reply d my Lord ; Your King rai- fes Money as he pleafes, and your Parliament muff regifter his Edifts. — Well, my Lord! and what Difference between /^/i, and a Parlia- ment that conftantly grants all the Demands of a ^.'liniller, with- out Enquiry, or Account : — I ov.n, faid my Lord, that the Anfwer ftruck me, and I could make no Reply. — But if our IVIethods of lay- ing Taxes on be not fo arbitrary and tyrannical as theirs, I am fure, cur IVIethods of lev'ying thofe Taxes are ten Times more unjuft and oppreffive; fo that, for Shame ! we ought to veil our Faces, and no longer either boaft of our own Liberties, or reproach thcra as Slaves.
creeps
I
( 8i )
creeps and fteals upon you by gentle Gradations, and imperceptible Motions, like a poiibnous Reptile, and dellroys your Liberties i again, at other Times, like a favage Bead, it rufhes upon you all at once, and tears it in Pieces. But whether it works by Sap, un- dermines by Craft, or openly attacks by Force, you ought always to be upon your Guard, and narrowly watch its Motions. The Rich, in all Ages, have been its Abettors *, and the Middling People its fevereft Scourge. When it would work by Sap, like a Mole under Ground, one of its firft Con- trivances is, by Driblets, to fqueeze and drain the Middling People of their Property.
Incroachments upon Liberty, and Invafions of Property, feem to go Hand in Hand, and both mutually concur to fupport each other, and enflave and beggar a People : But whether or no they pro- ceed in Chorus does not boot, for either will generate, finifh, and compleat the other ; for a Lofs of Pro- perty will produce a Lofs of Liberty, and fo vice lerfd. Slaves may be eafily made Beggars, and Beg- gars may be eafily made Slaves. If then you fuffer yourfelves,Countrymen,to be drain'd and beggar'd by unequal Taxes, the next Step will be, you will be all made Slaves, like the Boors and Pealknts in Pola?id, who are the Property of the Rich and Great Men, fuch as call themfelves Gentlemen of Poland : You mull: be their Vaflals, and do their Drudgery, jul1:
* Sec Polyhius, B. vi. Livy, B. ii. c. 3.
Machia'vel fays, that thofc Common-wealths, who have nrcfen'cJ their Liberties, and kept thcmfdvcs uncorrupt, do not fuftcr any of their Citizens to live high, and after the Rate of a Gentleman. I call thofe Gentlemen, who live idly and plentifully upon their Ellates, without any Care or Employment ; and they are rjcry *>(rriitieui\uh£ii' ever they art -Hijc. en iavy. Bock I. (ap. 54,
M as
as thofe poor Wretches do.* Struggle therefore, my Countrymen, with all^your Might to preferve your Property. Rich Men incline to favour Tyrants, and Jove Tyranny. Poor Men are unable to oppofe them, and 'tis you, the fmall Freeholders, muft be the Guardians of the Goddels Liserty at all Times. 'Tvi^as to you, and to you only, fhe owed hei' Protection in this Kingdom formerly, and that any of her Altars fmoke here now. Keep this Max- im in your Mind, That you may lofe all your Liber ^
* See Haut'ville, who fays, — The Patrimonial Eftates of the Gen- try in Po/^?«rt'confift in Lands, i^c, and Peafants. The Peafants^are Slaves, and cannot poffefs any I'hing ; all that they heap together
belongs to their Lord. T^hey are all his Property, and he 'values
ins Ejlate, according to the Number of them he has on it . To fettle
a Peafant upon a Piece of Land, or in a Village, the Lord caufes a Cottage, or Hut, to be erefted for him, and gives him two little Horfes, one Cow, fome Poultry, and Rye to fubfift upon for a Yeai». In the mean Time, he appoints a certain Piece of Ground in the Vil- lage, which the Peafant is obliged to till for his Landlord ; for all
the Goods in the Village belong to the Lord. The Peafant is
obliged to work four Days in a Week for his Mafter, and to fpend the other two in tilling the Ground for himfelf.
When Harveft comes, all the Peafants in the Village go out toge- ther, to cut down, and gather in, the Corn for their Lord, who ap- points certain Perfons to overfee their Work, and to beat them when they are idle. For their Punilhment, there is a Sort of a Pillory in every Village, on which thefe poor, miferable Wretches are forc'd, fometimes, to ftand a whole Day.
One would think, the Peafants in Finland fhould think themfelvcs the moft unhappy Creatures in the World, to fee themfelves reduced to perpetual Slavery, and obliged to work continually, without the Profpeft of one Day of Reft : But they do not fo much as know, that there are any Perfons of their Condition happier than they ; for, when they are young, they fee their Fathers treated after the fame Marmer. i*
I would now obferve to you, my Countrymen, that the prefent Laws, and Schemes of Taxation, naturally tend to bring you into this fame blefled Condition the Polijh Peafantry are in ; and that, if you permit the Continuation of thofe iniquitous and tyrannical In- Jundions, your innocent Pofterity will be chaftifed with the fame Rod of Iron, and gall'd with the fame Yoke of Oppreffion, as the Polip Gentry have laid on the miferable Skves of that Nation.
(83 )
tVy and prcfcyvc Part of your Property ; but you mas be Jure ^ 'ii}heH you have lojl all your Property^ that all your Liberty njoillfoUoiD,
The great Contefts, Inibrredions, Tumults ;nd Seditions, which have infellcd Governments and Common-wealths, in all Ages, have arilen, not io much about Authority, Magiftracy and Dominion, as about Property.
No one is uneafy with a Perlbn wlio aims at, or enjoys, Power, provided they are convinced and la- tisfied, that he does not graip at Authority to amafs Wealtji, execute Revenge, or latiate any Paflion be- iides the Luft of Eminence, and die Ambition of ferving his Country.
But, alas! it 'is Avarice at Bottom, I'm afraid, that influences and poifons all. * If a People fee a Magiftrate difdaining Riches, and exhaufting his own Treafures to ferve the Public, they will obey him chearfully, and his Power and Influence among them muft be great : His Difinterertednefo caufes them to refign their Underllandings implicitly to his Dictates, and Admonitions.
No good Man envied ^int'nn Cincinnatm hisAu- thority and Command , who poflfefs'd but four Acres of Land, plough'd them with his own Hands, and, when he had ferv'd the Public as DiSiator^ without Fee or Reward, and beat the Enemies of his Coun- try, laid down his Dignity, and return'd again to his Plough, and his Farm. Meneiiius Agrippa^ in his high Commands, did not acquire enough to pay the Charges of his Funeral, but was buried at the public
* Turn pietate gra'vem uc merit is Ji forte "jirum quern Csn/pexeretJiUntt arreiiifque aunbus a^ijiaHt. \'ir.
M 2 Expcnce j
(84) Expence ; as was, likewife, * P. Valerius^ and ma- ny of the Grecian Worthies. Thefe were Comets of Virtue, that blazed now and then, appear'd here and there once in an Age, travell'd in a different Orbit, or went retrograde to the Millions of minor Lumina- ries, which furroundcd them.
Of this Species was Camilhis^ of whom Livy fays, that his Colleagues trufted him with the fu- preme Command ; Nee quicquam de majeftate fua detraBiim credebant^ quod majejlati ejus concejjijfent. Nor did they think any Thing fubftradled from their own Authority and Honour, which was added to his J for he adted, in all his Adminiftrations, more for the Publick Good than his own, and having gi- ven many Teftimonies of his Capacity and Integrity, his Colleagues were not at all fcrupulous of transfer- ring their Authority, nor thePeople at all apprehenfive of his Greatnefs, nor any^ how great foe-very afiamed to be inferior to him : And fo excellent were theTr/- hunes in thofe Times, that they were equally difpo- fed, either to command, or obey ; fays MachiaveL But, alas ! where is fuch a Magiftrate, with fuch Continence, Refignation, Modcfty, and Difinterefl- ednefs, to be found in our Days ?
But tho', now and then, a.BrutuSj 2i P. Vale- rius, a Menenius Agrippa appear'd, who could re- nounce the Ties of Blood and Intereft for the public Weal ; yet the Romans had, after the Expulfion of the 'Tar quins, their •\ Appius Claudius' s, || C. Mar- cius Coriolanus'Sy A. Virginius's, and a Senate of
Gentry
* The Citizens clubb'd 'Three-pence a-piece to bury him. •f- He had many Villages of his own. /'^/dV Plutarch. Ij A Conful fo proud and infolent, that they permitted themfelves to be flain by their Enemies, racher than conquer under fuch an odious
Wretch.
( 85 ) Gentry as avaricious, proud, and tyrannical, as our Gentry are now. -f Livy gives a moving Re- lation of the Barbarity of the Rich and Great Men, in their Ufage of a Soldier, Genutius^ who had been ruin'd in the Sabine War. He introduces him as giving this Account of himfelf to the People, *' T^kat ** being a Soldier in the Sabine War^ the Country " uas fopllaged^ that he loji his Crops, his Hcufe ** was burnt, his Cat tie driven away, and his Goods " plundered i yet, in the Midji of thefe Irjere Cala- *' mi ties, a grievous Tax was i?npo/ed upon him, ** which obliged him to borrow Money, that, with ** the U/e of it, had accumulated a vajl Debt, and *' eat up his Father's and Gra?idfathcr's EJiates, " devoured his other Fortunes, 'till at laft, like a *' Conjumption, it jeized his very Body, and he was " baul'd, by his Creditor, not only into Slavery, but " into a Jevere Work-houfe, and a Gaol." The Behaviour of C. Marcius, in a Time of Dearth, to me difcovers but little of thatGreatnefsof Soul which has been attributed to the old Romans as a general Quality by fome who feem fond of exaggerating their Virtues, and extolling them to the Skies, as if the Rich and Great had not been, at all Times, pretty much the lame. This Senator, from his Pride and Inhumanity, propofed to withold the Com brought out of Sicily from the People, and ftarve them into a Renunciation of the Tribunitial Power, which they had jufl obtain'd to fecure them from the Pride, Infolence, and Oppreflion of their Senatorial Dons, Upon which the People, enraged, exclaim'd, " Fa^
V^'^rctch. Nunquam ante tarn iniij'us Phhi, reus, aJ juJicium I'ocafus fiipuli cj}, plenui, fuarum f/tnus pattrnarum irarum. Says Liv v. + i' Livv. Ub. II. Clip. 23.
(c
me
( 86 )
* mejamfeficiithojlespeti, cibo viStuq-, Jraudari :
* peregrmum friimentum^ quce fola alimenta ex in- '■ j'perato fortuna dederit ab ore rapt ^ nifi C, Mar- ' cio '-oinSii dcdantur T^ribimi^ nifi de tergo Plebis ' Romance fat is fiat ; eumfibi carnijicem novum ex-
ortum, qui aut mori aut fervire jubeat,^ — That is, " That the great Men opprefs'd them with Fa- ' mine as if they were Enemies, and robb'd them
* of their daily Bread ; and that the Corn, which ' came from Abroad, by meer Fortune, to be their
* Support, muft, now, be fnatch'd from their
* Mouths, unlefs the Tribunes were delivered up ' Hand-cuff 'd to C. Marcius i unlefs he wreck'd his
* Revenge upon the Bodies of the Roman People. ' That he was rifen up to be a new Executioner ' to them, and force them to be either Slaves, or ' die." It is manifeft from hence, that Pride, Am- bition, and Avarice influenced the old Romans ^ and produced the fame evil Effcdts they did after, as far as Property would admit 5 but by the Agrarian -f* Laws, &c, the Great Men being reflrained from becoming Elephants in Wealth, they could not dif- fufe their Venom and Tyranny fo widely as in After- Times, when they grew enormoufly rich by Con- queft, and a Negled: of the Laws • and brib'd a mercenary Soldiery to execute their favage and cruel Dictates.
All their Difputes arofe from, and were founded in. Avarice ; or, at leaf!:, we fhall find, that they were Difputes about Property, if we trace them to their Fountain-Head. Property was confidered as
* Livy, L. II. c. 35.
t Livy, L.VII. c. 16, L.X. c. 13.
die
(87) the Infi:rumcnt of procuring Power, and Power was cmploy'd to accumulate and increafc Property.
Authority confidered abftracftedly, and meerly as Authority, is in general difregarded, and eftcem'd, as Milton has it, but Painful Frcbtmuicnce I But Riches and Rewards, and a Power of procuring Wealth, being, either diredly or indiredly, annex'd to Honours, Digintics and Offices j they are, there- fore, defirable to all, coveted by mofl:, and flruggled for by many with great Earnelinefs and Contention.
Who courts unprofitable Dignity ? Power and Office would, in general, be llighted, if it were not for the concomitant Profits. But few Genc- ralijjimo's lay down their Command, handle the Plough, and live by cultivating four Acres of Land with their own Plands. * The perpetual Struggles between the Patricii and Plebeians at Rome arofe from the Oppreffion and Avarice (attended withPride and Infolence) of the Former ^ lather than from any Licentioufnefs, or Wantonnefs, in the Latter. The People would have been eafy, if they could have en- joy'd a Share of the Lands purchafed by their Blood, and Toil in War; and would iiave contentedly borne their Share of the Taxes and Burdens of the Common-wealth, if the Gentry had not aim'd to carry all Things beforethcm, without Regard to Juf- tice or Equity : But, when this was the Cail% they were juftly irritated to curb their Power, by the Terrors of Violence in their Seceffions, and thereby to reduce their Conflitution to its priiline Principles, and Form defign'd.
^(t LlVY.
The
( 88 )
The DifTentlons in the Times of the Gracchi ^ who endeavour 'd to reftore the Conftitution to its firfl: intended Plan, by putting the Agrarian Laws in Execution, were ConvuKions ariiing from a Con- tention about Property j and were carried to fuch a Height, by the Fadions under Marine and Sylla^ * that, in the End, the antient Conftitution of the Re- publick was thereby overturn'd : Confufion and Ty- ranny, Civil Difcord and Anarchy, War and the Effufion of human Blood, were introduced with Impunity, became triumphant, and from thence the Deftrudtion of the Common-wealth enfued.
Now, if we examine into the Source of thefe Calamities, we fhall find they were all owing to the -\- Avarice, Pride, and Ambition of the Gentry of
that
* Nam urbem ut hojlilem innjufcrant ; ac crtdes continues mfari<eque cum obi'iis agitabantiir, aliorum profcriptic72cs funejlfc :fp:g(equ.e et otnra affidua occurrebanty plurimorum torment a ex odio indi£la : nullum fce- iefium opus aberat. " They feized the City in a hoftile Manner ; all Places were filled with AfTaflinations, Profcriptions, BaniQmients, Executions and Tortures ; in fine, there was no Cruelty left uncom- mitted-"— App. L. I. de Ci'vil. Rom. Bell.
■\ Appian fays, Nam divites telluris ind'wifee portionem fihi magnam tvendicantesy et a nemine ob dluturnitatar. auferrt pojfe confiji^ qu^cuiiq; ipfis Jinitima^in quibus per mult te teiiuiorum portiones inerant, partim fuw kendo pretio ad fe adfafcentes, partim per vim auferentes, immenfa cam- forum fpatia obfederant, agricolis in his emptis, et pecoribus utentes. Sec. App. L.l. c.z. — The rich Romans undertaking at firft the warteLands, and by Prefcription of Time, and immemorial Poffeflion, not only fecuring to thcmfelves the Propriety of them, but likewife joining to them the Dividend of their poor Neighbours, either by Violence, or Purchafe, became poflefs'd of whole Countries, which their Slaves manured for them. — Whereas there remained few Italians, and thofe opprefs'd with Poverty, by reafon of their being continually in Arms, and paying heavy Taxes : And if, at any Time, they had fome Ref- pite from their Sufferings, they were obliged to live in Idlenefs, hav- ing no Land of their own to manure, nor finding any Work from others, by reafon of the Multitude of Slaves. — The Tribunes fought for a Remedy, which was the Agrarian Laix, for which the Gracchi loft their Lives. By this Law a Man had 500 Acres of Land allow'd
hiia»
( 89 )
that Republic ; who could not brook Equality, nor be fatished without domineering over the Lefler Ci- tizens ; who exercifed illegal Power and Authority, always ftriving for Dominion and Superiority • who held unlawful y\cquilitions, and polTclTed illegal Wealth and Riches, firing, and running even to Madnels, when any Laws were propofed to reflrain their Extravagancies. From whence we may lay it down as a Maxim, that the Avarice of the Gentry was the Spring of all thofe Contentions which ended in the Subvcrfion of the Common-wealth, and, at laft, in the total DeflruCtion and Ruin of their Empire, by thofe Swarms of Barbarians which poured from the North: And thefe Northern Banditti deitrov'd thofe Vermin, who had been the Scourge of God, and Peft of Mankind, for above One Thoufand Years before.
Whenever the Roman People demanded a Share of the Lands they conquered, which the Gentry of that Republic engrofs'd all into their own Hands ; whenever the Commonalty turn'd their Retledions upon their Power and Tyranny, thefe Gentry^ in order to fecure their PoJJ'eJ/ions, and preferve their Dominion^ excited them conftantly to Wars witii their Neighbours, to drvert their Attention ; and thus, from a Luft of Power to preferve their Wealth, and acquire enormous Riches, they prompted their Fellow- Citizens to be the Butchers, and Delfroyers of Mankind, and the Peft of all the Cities round them. This Is a true Pidlure, a juft Charader of
him, and Half as much for every Child, and was allow'd to keep 500 Head of Catdc. But this did not iatibfy the Avarice of the R - man Gentry, who would neither alfign the Poor Lands, nor employ them, nor maintain them, but mirdc thcni Slave;.
N the
( 5° )
the Great Men and Gentry of the Roman Republic in the moft virtuous Times, even when Cincinna- tus was made Dictator.
The Gentry of this Kingdom know well enough, that by cafing themfelves, and fqueezing the People with unjufh and unequal Shares of the Taxes, they Ihall impoverifh them, and increafe their own Pro- perty ; that with that Property Power muft enfue, and from that Power Tyranny, which will end in the Slavery of the LelTer Freeholders of this King- dom J from whence will arife another Set of Barons^ and antient Vajj'alage. This, I fay, is the fine Scheme, 7ny Countrymen^ that many of the Gentry of this Kingdom feem to be in Purfuit of j and this Tyranny, in fome Degree, now exifts, as I have largely flicwn you above.
Would the Roman Gentry have been fatisfied with a Thoufand per Ann. 'uiz. 500 Acres of Land, and 500 Head of Catde, without grafping at all, impoverifhing their Fellow-Citizens, leaving them without Lands or Employment, in a worfe Cojiditio?t than foreign Slaves *, they might have enjoy 'd the Executive Power of the Law, and the Adminiftra- tion of Juftice : But their infatiable Avarice would not admit of thefe reafonabk Conditions ; which oc- cafioned fuch Convuifions, as ended in Tyranny, brought on their own and the People^s Bondage, under the d^farSy and, at laft, the total Subverfion of their Empire, by which they all became Slaves to Goths and Vajidals^ &c. Such were the fatal Con- fequences of the Avarice and Tyranny of the Gefitry of the Roman Common-wealth formerly, as well as of the DaniJJ;) State lately.
* AfP IAN.
Wealth
(91 )
Wealth begets Power in a State, and Power gives Opportunity of increafing that Wealth ; fo that theie Two Faculties Teem to be mutual Aflif- tants of each other : Which of thefe Two is the Frbnum Mobile^ is a Qucftion not felf-evident ; but, I conceive, with a little Refledion, may be eaiily determined.
If we confider the general Difpofition, and Genius of Mankind, with their mental Powers and Facul- ties, wc (hall find there are but few Souls capable of acquiring, or relifliing, the Pleafures of a great Mind; few Perfons capable of tafting the Glory that flows from thofe Actions, wliich, by Pliilolbphers, are fil- led great and noble. The Abilities of procuring Efleem nnd Applaufe, from an extenlive Knowledge in Law, War, Politicks, the Belles Lcttres, or any of the Polite Arts, is but the Portion of a Few ; and thofe Few will not engage in either, without a Profpe(ft of fome fuitable Rewards, or pecuniary Sti- pends and Gratifications. If Civil Power do not pro- duce Opportunities of Lucration, you Icarcc ever fee any one fond of it ; the more is the Pity : Or, at leall:, no one appears to be defirous of it, abftradly confidered from the Conlideration of the Gratifica- tion of fome private Pafiions, and purely from a Re- gard to the public Good. I have, with clofe Atten- tion, look'd for the difinterefted Chara(5ter among Mankind ; but am, generally in the fame Condition Diogenes was, when he fought the Town with a Lafithern, and, being difappointed, had Recourfc to the Tombs.
This Luft of Wealth, this j^ri facra Fames , nins through all Ranks of Men, and has exiflcd, at ^11 Times, from the Prince to the Peafant : Tho', I
N 2 think.
(90
think, It may bejaftly obferv'd, that thisDifteinper does not rage with lb much Fury among the lower Clafs of Mankind, as it does among the Gentry.
If a Love to Order, Sobriety and Juftice ; if a Re- gard to the Peace and Happinefs of the Community, were the Motives of Action in a Juflice of the Peace, fliould we ever fee him exacting 3 J. 6 d. from a poor Wretch, plunder 'd of his v^//, when he applies to him, in order to procure due Punish- ment of the Criminal? If any Spark of a noble and generous Spirit exifted in thofe we call N-^blemen, Ihould we ever fee Men of 30, 40, nay, 60,000 /. per Ann. condefccnding to take 1 000 /. a- Year from the Publick, for prefiding in an Office, which is a meer Sijie-Ctire t Should we not rather fee thofe Stdte-Cormoranfs renouncing their Prey, and dedica- ting it to Chelfea^ Gree?iwich, the Merchants^ or Foundling Hofpitals^ where thofe, who have worn out their Lives, wafted their Blood, and lavifh'd their very Limbs, in the Service of their Country, might meet with a foft Afylum^ and a calm Repofe, when they are on the Verge of Life, or robb'd of Abilities to fnpport it by their Induftry ; and where unfortunate Innocence might meet with Refuge and Protedion ?
If a truly great and generous Spirit exifted among our Gentry^ fhould we ever fee fuch Troops of Can- didates fawning to, and flubbering over, old Wo- men J or cringing to, and courting, the Meaneft of the Populace, and the Dregs of the Mob, for a Seat in Parliament ? Certainly, luch Conduct can be jufti- fiable in no one, but fuch as has no Virtue or Merit to recommend him befides. But Avarice has fo cor- rupted our Rich Men, th;:it they will condefcend to
any
(93 )
any Meanncj]cs, in order to procure a Seat in the Se- nate, and kl! the Wretclies they have truckled to, and bought with the cnlharijig Wages of Corruption. From what has been laid, I would only draw this Inference, that the Love of Riches is the moft univerfal^ poiuerful^ and the predofninaiit Pajjion a- viong Mankind ; * that Power al Wi\ys attends Wealth ; and that the Leffer Freeholders of Great-Britain^ if they do not infill on juft and equal Laws of Taxa- tion, in Procefs of Time, will be the Dupes and Valvals of the Gentry^ who are now draining, and im- poverilhing -j- them by the Powers they have referved to themfelves in the Execution of the Laws relating to the Land-Tax, Window-Tax, and other Branches of the Reve?mes of this Kingdom : That the Mid- dling People of this Kingdom muft be ftupid to the lall Degree, to reft eafy under the Burden of an un- equal Taxation, and be contented to be infulted in their Perfons, and robb'd of their Properties, the Two Things Government was invented to lecure \ when the Hilfory of Mankind, both antient and modern, plainly evinces, that the PoflelTion and Se- curity of Property is necellary to the PoflelTion and Security of Power, and, confequently, of Liber- ty J and from hence, that all Perfons, in all Ages, have been ftruggling moft earneftly for, and tenacious of. Wealth and Riches. If, my Countrymen^ you reft contented with being robb'd of your Property, you ought to refled:, that your Poflerity will, of Courfe, become Vallals, and Slaves, to thole very Perfons, and their Defcendants, who have plunder 'd you, and been the Inllruments of impovcriiliing of — / .-.^___ ■■
* \'idc Foljbliij, L. \'I, f Lord Mot'efif-orth.
VOU
( 94 ) you : When you refle(5t, that this is tlie blcffed Le- gacy you are going to leave your little Ones, your innocent Progeny, ought not Indignation and Rage to Ipur you on to a Remedy ? Or do you think that Mankind will grow better, and that the Sons will reftore what the Fathers plunder'd you of? If you hope this will be die Cafe, Horace is out in his Poli- tickSy when he fays :
Da?n?ioJa quid non imminidt dies ? ^tas parentum pejor avis tulit Nos nequiores^ mox daturos Progeniem vitiofiorem. What mortal Work, what human Power, Will not corroding Time devour ? Our Fadiers, viler than th.eir Sires, Bore us a more flagitious Race : When our, more impious, Brood retires. Sons, ftill much worfe, {hall hll their Place.
*Tis for Wealth Mercenaries fight J Provifions and Munitions of War are to be obtained only by Mo- ney ; fo that Money is every Thing, and anfwers all Things. 'Tis tPjs View of Things, and thefe Con- fiderations, with the unhappy Condition of Man- kind, which have made People more eagerly grafp after Riches, than after Virtue and Wifdom ^ for Wealth may fruftrate the Attempts of Wifdom, and difappoint, or render abortive* the Intentions of Vir- tue. Such is the miferable Situation, Man is in, that Wealth procures Friends, and produces, at leaft, ex- ternal Regard from even the Wife, and real internal Reverence and Efteem from the great Vulgar ^ as well as from the Populace j and thefe two Sorts make up the Bulk of Mankind. For thefe Reafons, wife Men have, fometimes, thought it neceflkry, where a
People
( 95 )
People are corrupt, to endeavour after a conipeten Share of Riches, in order to fecure theniielves : They contemn the Regard it procures, but ulc it as a Sort of Armour^ which, tho' burdenfome and con- temptible in itfelf, yields Security, when prudently managed.
If this be the Cafe then, how much does it be- hove you, my Countrymen ; how much does it con- cern your prefent Intereft, and that of your Pofteri- ty, to take Care, and be upon the Watch, that you do not pay more than your Share of the Taxes of this Kingdom, left you be, at laft, impoverifh'd, and brought to Beggary and Slavery ? This Canker of unequal Taxes works by Degrees, is a Confumption preying on your Fortunes, and diminiihing your Sub- rtance and Power by imperceptible I>ribblets ; and tho' it be a flow Poifon, it will, at laft, as furely de- ftroy yourWealth, Influence and Liberty, as a Ca?icer^ or an Italian Potion^ would your natural Body.
Rouse up yourfelves then, my Countrymen; throw off this Lethargy you have fo long dozed in ; break the Bands afunder, which have fo long held you in Slavery, the worfl of Slavery, Slavery to your own Delegates, Infects of Power of your own Creation, Bubbles of your own blowing, which a ftronger Blaft would Ihake to Atoms. Throw off this Yoke, which, if fome of your Forefathers were tame enough to bear, you ought to fcorn to continue -, a Yoke, which you ought, by a vigorous Struggle, to difentanglc yourfelves from, and therebv merit the grateful Eulogiuvis of Pofterity. Confider your Numbers, your Strength, your Wealth and Proper- ty, your Bondage ; and tliat the Road to Liberty is iafe,cafy, and honourable > your Slavery bafc, mean,
and
(96 )
and infamous j and let all thefe inflame you to purfue Redrels vigoroufly. The Ro?nans, when opprels'd by their Rich Men, retired to the Sacred Mount y refufed to engage with their Enemies, and chofe ra- ther to die by their Hands, than preferve Life to be the Property of their Gejitry^ and groan it out un- der an Arijiocratical Tyranny.
Thus, my Countrymen, I have enter'd into the Pefietralia of your Favourite Goddefs LIBERTY, unveil'd her Face, wiped off her Paint, turn'd up her Skirts, difcovered her Nakednefs, and convinced you, that ihe is nothing but an Idol, a Pageant, fil- thy Rags, and no Divinity j tho' the State-Flamens and Augurs, for the Space of Half a Century^ pafi^ have cried out, with one Voice, Great is this DIA- NA of the BRITONS.
But let not the fad Tale of your Deceptiori and Wretchednefs be told in Gath^ nor publi/hed in the Streets of Afchalon, left the Philijiines triumph over you, left they mock and hifs you to Scorn ; left they wag their Heads, and cry, How is the Mighty fallen ! left, with Contempt and Difdain, they point and fay. There goes Monfieur Freeman, as formerly they did. There goes Monfieur Ballance : Left, taunting, they afk you, " Where, now, is your boafted Liberty ? " and bid you, for Shame, throw off" your Vanity, " acknowledge their fuperior Freedom, and prepare " to receive their Grand Monarque as your Sove- " reign, who will, at the fame Time he enlarges his •* own Empire, extend your Liberty." Thefe Jeers, this Mockery, Britons muft expedl in the End, if they do not fpeedily purfue the Did:ates of,
Their Countryman, and We II- JVi fiery
Philalethes.
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